Fire and Ice
by Hybridlovelies
Summary: Klaroline Fic. Mystic Falls now knows the existence of the vampires and the fight is on. Klaus finds himself allied to his former enemies and falling for a certain blonde vampire. Written in anticipation of the season 3 return in January.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I love Forwood but I just wanted to play around with the possibility of Klaroline. This started out as an exercise in boredom and was only going to be a one shot but then developed into a whole story. I have more written which I will post if I get some good reviews and there is interest.**

**It takes place after the Homecoming episodes. Just pretend that now the whole town knows about the vampires and are basically staging a fight against them just like back during Stefan and Damon's time in 1864. Also, Rebecca was never staked during the episode and is now off terrorizing the world somewhere else for now.  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries. Duh.**

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><p>The dust from the battle had settled. There didn't seem to be a body count but there were plenty of injured. The humans had already scurried back to safety, admitting their defeat. Daytime always seemed to be the worst. The humans would plan attacks for the day, thinking the vampires would be weaker. But they were wrong. For this particular group of supernaturals daylight wasn't a problem.<p>

Mystic Falls had never been a normal town but now it was barely recognizable. The humans were going to destroy their beloved home in their misguided attempts to protect it. Since the spectacle at Homecoming, there was no way that the vampires could hide from the humans; everyone now knew of their existence. Their discovery of the hybrids only made matters worse. Everyone went into panic mode and the council took it upon themselves to start a war: a war to "win back" their town and make it safe once again from the vampire threat. They had come together, identified their enemies and made plans for attack.

The first blow was a harsh one. It was the assassination of Tyler Lockwood. The council members overtook him one night and staked him while he slept. It was a message. His murder said that no one was safe or discounted, it didn't matter if they were family or not.

This was how Klaus found himself fighting in this town's silly little war. He'd didn't really give a fuck about the vampires there. The Salvatore brothers and all of their friends could rot in hell for all he cared. But he needed to protect his doppelganger, Elena Gilbert, if he ever hoped to make more hybrids. He also considered the murder of Tyler Lockwood a personal blow. Not that he cared for him in particular, but Tyler had been his first successful hybrid sire. Klaus's blood ran through him. Klaus had felt it when he died. Because of these reasons, he found himself making nice with Damon Salvatore and the rest of the sickening goody two-shoes group.

"Jeremy?" Klaus heard Elena call across the town square. From where Klaus stood in the shadows, she seemed to be unharmed. It was frustrating the way that girl couldn't resist constantly putting herself in the line of fire. He was thankful that so far the humans hadn't figured out Elena's true purpose in all this. Otherwise keeping her alive would be that much harder.

"I'm alright Elena," the doppelganger's brother called to her," Bonnie too." The young boy reached down to help his witchy girlfriend to her feet.

Klaus watched Elena jog over to her brother and check him over for injuries. After all, vervain grenades and wooden bullets harmed humans too, even more permanently than they would vampires. It made him think of his own sister, Rebecca. They used to have a similar relationship, always looking out for one another. Maybe a tad more violent though. Rebecca had coldly abandoned him after finding out the truth about their mother's death. He knew she would be back one day for her revenge. Vampires could be very patient. Klaus hated the thought that he would have to kill her one-day in the future but he would do what he had to.

"Elena, fancy meeting you here," Damon Salvatore sneered entering the family circle.

"Don't start with me Damon."

"I thought we agreed you would stay at the boarding house."

"No, you and Klaus agreed," Elena said gesturing toward him. So they had noticed him standing there in the shadows. Klaus stayed put though.

"For your safety," Jeremy chimed in.

"I'm not going to sit in a room tucked away while my friends put their lives on the line and my home falls apart."

Klaus rolled his eyes and leaned against a nearby tree. He was so glad to be hearing this conversation again. Elena would argue that she was an able fighter due to her combat training with Alaric. Damon would argue that she was not. The rest of them would look uncomfortable until Klaus stepped in and backed Damon up. He did need Elena alive after all, even if he was motivated by different reasons. Honestly, Klaus never understood the Salvatore obsession with the doppelganger.

"Did anyone see Alaric?" Jeremy asked cutting off the impending argument.

"Yeah I knocked him around a bit, made it look real, he's fine," Damon replied with a shrug, his eyes not leaving Elena.

Alaric had been playing double agent. He was pretending to fight on the council's side but he made regular reports back to them when he could. Klaus didn't understand why Alaric chose to betray his kind for their sakes. He wasn't related to anyone here, nor was he in love with the doppelganger, and those seemed to be the stipulations for fighting on the supernatural side.

"Wait guys, where's Caroline," the witch, Bonnie, asked.

Klaus's ears pricked. His head whipped up and around in search of her. "_No"_, he thought, "_Caroline"._

"I don't know. Who saw her last?" someone said.

Klaus tried to think of when he had seen her last. They had been standing outside the Mystic Grill arguing as usual. He and Caroline were on patrol duty that afternoon. There were checking out who was showing their face around town and who might be hidden away planning a sneak attack. All of the council members were accounted for that day. All except Alaric, but he was no one they needed to worry about.

Klaus and Caroline had entered the Grill and all heads turned their way. They were met with more than a few sneers. It was an unusual and complicated war, because the vampires could walk around Mystic Falls freely. The humans couldn't exactly attack them on the fly. The vampires would have them subdued in no time. However now that all the vampires in the town were outted, no one bothered to hide their fear and disgust.

"Probably shouldn't eat anything. I'm sure it's all loaded with vervain," Caroline murmured learning toward him. Klaus hated when she did that. She was always to close, invading his space. She was so intimate with everyone, even him.

He didn't understand why. Sure they were always being thrown together on patrol or covert investigations. Mostly because Caroline seemed to be the only one that could tolerate him. Not to mention none of the others trusted him, so Caroline was always on "watch Klaus" duty.

"Doesn't matter to me, I haven't eaten food in over 300 hundred years," Klaus retorted walking past her and heading towards the bar. Caroline followed him.

"I don't think I could ever completely give up food," the blonde vampire replied tossing her curls behind her shoulder. Klaus hated when she did that too. He caught a whiff of her shampoo, it smelled like strawberries and something else, he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Come back to me in a century and we'll see if you still feel the same way." Klaus reached over the bar and pulled up a bottle of alcohol. Whiskey. It was unopened and therefore unlikely to be spiked with vervain but he didn't want to take any chances. He poured a glass and took a small sip. Vervain free.

Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me. Haven't you ever heard of ladies first?"

"Indeed I have love. My century invented chivalry," Klaus replied with a smirk. He slid the glass of brown liquor towards her. He'd never admit to checking it for her first.

"Do you think there's anything to eat in here that isn't tainted?" Caroline looked around as if the food would magically appear somewhere around the room. Klaus shook his head and poured himself a glass of whiskey. He noticed her eyes brighten as the bus boy walked by and felt a small stab of jealousy, which he quickly suppressed.

"Oh Matt!" She waved her hand in his direction, "Is it safe to eat anything?" The couple next to her visibly cringed and tried to slink away. Klaus chuckled.

"What's funny?" Caroline turned toward him.

Klaus simply smiled at her. "Nothing love."

The busboy called Matt hoisted his bin of dirty dishes behind the bar.

"So Matt, any chance at some vervain free fries or something?" Caroline tried again.

"Not likely Caroline," the boy admonished not meeting her eyes.

"Nothing at all?" She asked her shoulders slumping ever so slightly.

"That's a stupid question." Matt replied slamming down a glass and rounding away from the bar.

Klaus stood from his bar stool and intercepted him.

"No need to be rude to the lady," he said placing a hand on Matt's chest, peering down at him condescendingly.

"Don't touch me," Matt's jaw ticked as he met Klaus's eye.

"I'm sorry, but what exactly are you going to do about it? Human?" Klaus scoffed.

"Klaus stop it," Caroline ordered.

"Caroline, sweetheart, I'm just trying to teach the boy some manners."

"You're compulsion won't work on me," Matt said not tearing his eyes away from Klaus.

"Oh I don't need compulsion to get you to do what I want."

"Klaus," Caroline's voice was firmer, angrier. Klaus dropped his hand from Matt's chest and felt Caroline pull on his arm. "Sorry Matt. Everyone. We're leaving." With that she tugged Klaus out the door.

"What is your problem?" Caroline yelled at him once they were outside.

"I don't have a problem," Klaus replied.

"Clearly you do. Why do you have to be such a psychopath about everything?" Klaus ignored her headed down the sidewalk. He decided he needed a drink. A real one. One that was red and viscous and came from something that used to be alive.

Suddenly though Caroline was in front of him blocking his path, her hands on her hips.

"You can't be like that. When this is all over I would like to not be looked at as a pariah anymore. I'd like to be able to live some semblance of a normal life here."

"If you think that this is going to end in anyway other than a giant bloodbath then you are in for a huge surprise."

"Why? What are you planning?" Caroline's eyebrows furrowed. For some reason, this line of questioning made him even more frustrated.

"Not me! This town! They won't stop until all of you have either left or been executed."

"That's not true!" Caroline protested, "they'll realize we're still good. We're still the people they care about. We haven't even killed any humans."

"So far. You'll be forced to cross that line soon I'm sure."

Caroline threw her hands up in exasperation. "Why do you have to always be like that? 'Food will suck, this war will never end, everyone will die.' Why do you have to be so bloody pessimistic?"

Klaus smirked. She said "bloody." Clearly she had been spending too much time with him. His English colloquialisms were starting to rub off on her.

"Don't smirk at me like that!" Caroline yelled, her eyes widening.

Then, out of nowhere, Klaus grabbed her by the arms, hauled against his body and kissed her. He didn't know what he was doing. Clearly he had lost his mind. She had just looked so incredibly-what was that word human boys used nowadays- cute. The way her eyes widened in exasperation and her curls bobbed as she shook her head, trying to look fierce and serious. It seemed like the only option was to grab her and kiss her.

Klaus held her arms firmly at her sides as he explored her mouth with his own. Her lips were soft and he slowly slid his tongue in between them. She tasted like strawberries and honey. He heard her moan slightly as he captured her mouth with his. She was kissing him back! This realization brought him back to his senses. He released her arms, knowing that she would push him away. But she didn't. Her free hands slid up his arms and around his shoulders as her head changed angles, allowing him better access.

_No_, he thought, _you have to stop this now. _But he couldn't. He was a self indulgent, stubborn vampire and he couldn't stop himself once he had started. He slid his hands around her waist and pulled her closer, invading her mouth with his tongue. Her kisses were passionate, just like she was in life. They had an almost desperate edge to them. He knew that she knew that this was wrong. Obviously she shouldn't be kissing him, he was the bad guy after all. Temporary alliances didn't matter. But she tasted so damn sweet that he was willing to put off those facts for another couple of minutes.

Then he heard it. Something whipping through the air toward them. Moving quickly and noiselessly. Klaus had less than a second to react. He broke the kiss and hauled Caroline out of the way. The glass storefront window behind them shattered.

The two of them turned and looked at the broken window then across the square. Half the town was coming over the hill, armed with guns and grenades. Others started pouring out of the Grill and the nearby shops. It was a full on assault.

Caroline looked up a Klaus. Her expression seemed to say a million things. Confusion, fear, worry. He took her shoulders again and gave her a slight shake.

"Go back to the boarding house, warn everyone. I'll stay here," Klaus instructed.

Caroline opened her mouth to say something, then shut it. "Please don't kill anyone." He smirked mischievously. She cocked her head to emphasize her seriousness and the consequences that were implied should he disobey. Her lips were still swollen with his kiss. There was the brave girl he knew. Quicker than lightening, Caroline dashed off toward the boarding house.

That was the last time Klaus had seen Caroline.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys. I went ahead and uploaded another chapter since I got so much interest and feedback! Thanks so much for reading!**

**Now we find out what happened to Caroline and what Klaus is going to do about it!**

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><p>After a quick search of the town square everyone headed back to the boarding house, including Klaus. Caroline's body was nowhere to be found which hopefully was a sign that she was still alive. The sun was setting as everyone collected in the Salvatore living room.<p>

"So someone may be holding her prisoner?" Elena asked.

"Most likely," Damon replied, "otherwise they'd have just left her corpse out there to rot for all of us to see."

"Who do you think took her? And where would they put her?" Bonnie asked.

"Well," Damon began, pouring himself a glass of scotch, "there are those tunnels and caves under the Lockwood house. And then the vampire torture chamber her dear old dad stuck her in before. Maybe they put her in there for another round?"

Klaus seethed in the corner while he listened to the others debate Caroline's whereabouts. If she wasn't dead now, she could be very soon, or at least in a serious amount of pain. He didn't want to even think about the irony of the fact that she had been defending the humans to him only an hour ago just to now have them torture her. His fist clenched at the thought of her in pain.

"Maybe we should check all of those places just to be sure," Jeremy suggested.

"Might as well. Process of elimination," Damon agreed setting down his glass.

"Ok I'm coming with you," Elena said.

"Like hell you are."

"Damon—"

"Elena if Caroline is sitting in some kind of death trap, there is no way I'm letting you walk right into it."

"Exactly. It could be a trap. I'm human, they are less likely to harm me."

"Human you may be but you still sympathize with us supernaturals. Take it from me, I was around the last time this town staged a revolt against the vampires."

"I agree with Damon," Klaus chimed in, "It's not safe for you. In fact, I'd much rather you never left this house at all."

"Klaus, you don't even get to have an opinion in all of this," Elena shot back.

"Unless on the rare occasion it actually makes sense," Damon replied.

Elena then turned her attention back towards Damon. Bonnie and Jeremy soon jumped into the argument. Klaus smirked. Finally they were distracted. Now he could slip out and go find Caroline himself. He didn't want the others to take care of it. He didn't plan on being merciful to any humans if she was dead when he found her. Nor did he want the others to know that he cared about finding her. He wasn't even sure why he cared himself.

Klaus left them in the living room and walked quickly towards the front door. His hands grasped the doorknob and he swung it open swiftly and quietly. There standing in the doorway, reaching for the knob, was the blonde vampire herself.

"Caroline."

"Klaus."

Relief flooded through him at the sight of her. His eyes danced over her figure checking for injuries. Besides torn clothes and a few bloodstains she seemed to be fine. Then, with his vampire swiftness, he shut the door and grabbed her by the shoulders taking her farther into the yard away from the house.

"Whoa Klaus. What the hell?"

"Everyone thinks you've been captured or killed," Klaus's grip remained on her shoulders. He was half yelling at her.

"Well neither obviously," she replied.

"Couldn't you have called or something to let us know where you were?"

"I had something to take care of, I wasn't exactly in the position to call. But I'm fine, everything's ok," Caroline looked into his eyes. They were icy and intense. Had he really been that worried about her? "Are you ok?" She asked slowly.

Klaus released his grip on her and stood up straight. His shoulders rolled back. He needed to get a grip. Caroline stood there looking up at him waiting for an answer.

"Of course I'm ok darling. My doppelganger is safe. Nothing to worry about," Klaus replied with an easy smile. Caroline continued to stare at him making him uneasy. It was as if she could see right through his façade down to what he was really feeling. Again, Klaus wasn't even sure of what he was feeling. Extreme relief that Caroline was ok; frustration that he cared so much. There were too many emotions warring inside of him to keep track.

"Caroline! You're ok!" Elena exclaimed with relief as she ran forward and hugged her friend tight. The moment between Klaus and Caroline broke, and he stepped back, watching the girls embrace. Caroline's eyes stayed on him though.

"Yep! Perfectly fine. What did you guys think happened?"

"We thought maybe someone on the council had taken you prisoner or something," Elena replied, "What happened?"

"Matt got caught in the crossfire of a vervain grenade and was pretty hurt. I saw him go down. I couldn't just leave him. So I took him over to my mom's to make sure he got patched up," Caroline explained.

"So your mom is still ok with us?"

Caroline sighed. "Yes. No. She's been so back and forth since she found out about me, but she seems pretty consistent in the fact that she doesn't want me to suffer. Unlike Carol Lockwood." She sneered at the mention of Tyler's mother.

Elena nodded. "Well come inside, everyone was super worried."

Caroline's eyes flicked from Elena to Klaus. He maintained his cool, disinterested expression.

"Actually, Klaus and I were talking. I'll be inside in a minute." Elena looked back and forth between the two of them in confusion.

"Oh Caroline darling, we're all done here. Best not keep your friends waiting," Klaus replied smoothly. Caroline opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off, "I have a few personal errands to run. I'll be back later to check on my doppelganger." And with a flash Klaus disappeared into the night.

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><p>"What do you think Caroline?"<p>

Caroline started. She realized that Elena had been speaking to her.

"Huh?" She said removing her head from her hand and sitting up in attention.

"Are you going to be ok with all of this?" Elena asked again. Shoot. Apparently they'd been talking to her, or about her, for a while. And she had missed every single word. She just couldn't concentrate.

After Klaus made his quick exit, Caroline had followed Elena into the boarding house. She was met by many relieved looks, even from Damon, as she regaled the group with her reason for being absent. Now that everyone knew she was ok they moved onto talking about the events of the day and what now needed to be done.

Caroline hadn't been listening to though. She was extremely frustrated. Although she really couldn't be that surprised that Klaus ran off before she could confront him. All she could think about was their kiss outside of The Grill. It was amazing and terrifying. Having the lips of a cold-blooded killer on hers was terrifying. No matter how incredibly sexy those lips were. _No,_ she scolded herself, _she couldn't think like that._

She did find him incredibly sexy though. Even when she had first met him, his blonde hair, his scruffy face, his beautiful accent had all been very alluring. Of course the downside was that he had been trying to kill her best friend. It was always something with guys.

At first she had decided not to think about it. She found that since she had become a vampire she could still obsess, but at least she was more efficient about it. While she ran back earlier to warn the others about the attack, she had decided that the kiss was probably a fluke. Something Klaus had done to distract her or play with her or something else. It didn't mean anything.

But something in his face when she made it back to the house told her differently. She had been trying to be nonchalant as she walked up, acting like nothing had happened. But his normally steely eyes held a look of real concern. It looked as if he had truly been worried along with everyone else about what might have happened to her. Caroline couldn't help but wonder about what he might have done if something had happened.

After seeing those emotions run across his face, she wanted to know what that kiss had been about. Was it real? Did it mean something? She knew she shouldn't care; she should be disgusted. But for some reason she just couldn't bring herself to be completely turned off by the idea of Klaus.

"Caroline are you sure you're alright?" Elena prodded noticing the look on her friend's face.

Caroline blinked a couple times to clear her thoughts. "Yeah, sorry. Just thinking about Matt. He was so weird earlier when I saw him at the Grill just before the fight."

"Weird how?" Bonnie asked.

"Well for one thing he is definitely not on our side."

"Excuse me," Damon interrupted, "Can we save the girl talk for later? There are more important things to discuss here."

"Sorry," Caroline muttered sarcastically," So what was the question?"

Elena replied, "Are you cool with keeping an eye on Klaus? Figuring out while he's still here."

Oh, so that's why they had asked if she was ok with everything.

"Why me?"

"Because you already spend more time with him than any of the rest of us. He'd probably be less suspicious."

"Also out of everyone, you're probably the one he hates the least," Damon quipped. Caroline rolled her eyes at him.

"But don't we already know why he's sticking around," she said, "he wants to keep an eye on Elena now that Stefan has run off."

Caroline noticed Elena wince at the mention of Stefan and immediately felt bad. Even though Elena had seemed to have moved on, there were still a few unresolved feelings. After Homecoming, they had seen Klaus give Stefan his free will again and instead of rejoining them like they originally thought, he disappeared from Mystic Falls.

Damon claimed that he hadn't been that surprised. "He's free of compulsion, but he's still the ripper. Can't exactly shut that off with a snap of your fingers."

Elena continued, "Yeah but why would Klaus stick around and fight with us. I mean he could just kidnap me and take me away from all the fighting, then not have to deal with all of it."

"Although I still wouldn't rule out the possibility of him just escaping with you," Damon said taking another swig of his scotch.

"No there has got to be some other reason he's still in Mystic Falls. Some plan or something."

Caroline nodded. There was something keeping Klaus in Mystic Falls. Something other than keeping Elena safe from this human/supernatural war.

"You're right," the blonde vampire agreed, "but what am I supposed to do?"

"We'll pair you guys up more. Just see if you can get him talking or if you notice anything unusual going on with him."

_Like him assaulting girls with his mouth?_ Caroline thought.

"Ok," she relented, "I'll see what I can do."

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><p>Klaus hung up the phone angrily. Another dead end phone call with Stefan. Stefan Salvatore who had betrayed him in every way possible. The vampire would be as good as dead once Klaus found him. But until then he had to bide his time in Mystic Falls. He groaned. At least he had his Hybrids with him.<p>

"Hello children," he said painting a slick smile over his angry face," daddy is back."

The five hybrids turned toward him all smiling. They were gathered around a small bon fire in the middle of the woods. Klaus had been keeping them there on the outskirts of Mystic Falls since he had returned. He'd kept them away from the homecoming festivities. A contingency plan. He hadn't expected anything to go wrong, but in his 500 years of existence he learned that it never hurt to have a back up. Good thing too since it turned out he needed them after all.

"Can we leave the forest yet? I want to feed on something other than animals," one of the hybrids asked. He was a boy who looked no older than 19 or 20. They all looked about the same age.

"Soon," Klaus replied, "for now I have a little assignment for each of you."

Klaus was disconcerted by the attack made by the humans today. It was too organized, too planned, and way to surprising. Even though the human's petty weapons wouldn't kill him, they had come way to close to injuring him. _And Caroline_, he thought. He shook that train of thought from his head. She didn't matter. She couldn't.

"I want you all to watch over the council members, and a few certain hot spots in town where they might be meeting," Klaus instructed.

He didn't think Alaric was giving them enough warning. Clearly he wasn't really quite up to snuff in the double agent department. So, Klaus would set his own emissaries around the town to report back personally to him what might be going on.

"For tonight though, you made go out and feed, " Klaus told them. The five hybrids all stood eagerly. Their eyes already turning yellow and the veins of hunger spreading across their cheeks. They had been waiting for this a very long time. Klaus couldn't help but grin at their obvious thirst.

"Only keep out of Mystic Falls," he added, " be back here before dawn." One by one the hybrids headed off to hunt.

"Not you though Annie." He turned his attention to a short brown-haired girl. Her shoulders slumped at the order but she skipped toward her master eager to please.

"Yes Klaus?" she replied, her hungry face calming.

"I want you to go to the Sheriff's house. Keep a special eye on things there. Who comes and goes. When and where the Sheriff goes," Klaus ordered, "but do not under any circumstances harm the blonde vampire girl you might see there. If anything happens to her, you will pay dearly."

The young hybrid gulped and nodded; she then flew off into the night to do her master's bidding. After all the hybrids were gone, Klaus ran back towards the small house nearby that he had commandeered.

It wasn't anything grand, just a simple cabin that someone had built in the woods to get away from it all. There was only one room with a large bed, a couple easy chairs, a small kitchen area, and a fireplace. There was also a small bathroom with a shower. It was quite cozy actually. Klaus liked extravagance from time to time but considering the fact that he grew up in a small hut in the woods before running water had been invented he could cope.

Once inside he kicked off his shoes and stretched out on the bed. Klaus thought about the orders he had given to Annie. Especially that last part about not hurting Caroline. He had told all of his hybrids before that if they had a chance to kill any of the Mystic Falls vampires or their friends that they should do so. But now he couldn't help amending the rule. Although what was the point? When it came time he would have to kill all of them anyways. There was no way Elena's friends were going to let Klaus leave quietly with her.

But that kiss. What was it? A momentary loss in self control. It would have been so easy if she had just pushed him away but she hadn't. Instead she had pressed herself tighter against him. He could still feel the softness of her breasts against his chest, the curve of her waist, the way her lips burned their way into his memory.

After centuries of being alive, Klaus had lost track of how many women he had experienced, all of it for pure pleasure though of course. There was even that time that he had dallied with Katarina but it had meant nothing. But Caroline was different. The way she had felt that day in his arm had been different. No one had ever sent that electrical shock through his body the way she did when she touched him.

Klaus groaned as he drug his hands down his face. He needed to stop thinking about her. He needed a distraction. Suddenly he smiled. There was a bar not to far from his house, with lots of drunken females ready for the taking. And he realized he never did get that drink he was craving earlier.

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><p><strong>To be continued...<strong>

**Hope you guys enjoyed! Let me know what you think :) And just for all you Tyler fans out there, sorry I killed him off right in the beginning. I love him but it had to be done for the sake of the story! Also, there is a little mention of Caroline's thoughts toward him coming later :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys here's another update. It's kinda long but I figured none of you would mind since everyone seems to be enjoying it so much. Sometimes I feel like I'm going slightly OOC with Klaus, but I guess I have to since this is a different side of him. I try to keep it reigned in as much as I can**

**Well enough of my babble! Hope you enjoy! And p.s. there will be a bit of Fluff ;)**

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><p>Caroline awoke the next morning in her room at the Salvatore house. She missed living with her mother but since this whole town war had started, it wasn't exactly safe for her to be there. For one thing she was never completely sure if her mom was on board with the whole her being a vampire now thing. And secondly, even if she was, it made it more dangerous for her mom. It wouldn't be good if the town council thought of her as a vampire sympathizer.<p>

She threw back the covers and went over to the window. It was a gorgeous fall day. The air was starting to become crispier and the leaves showed the slightest hint of yellow and orange at the tips. Fall was on its way. The warm sun was shining down on her pale skin. She let her fingers trail through the beams. Caroline felt sorry for all of the vampires out there that didn't have witchy friends who could enable them to stand the sunlight. Then again, maybe that was a good thing, since all vampires weren't exactly nice.

Speaking of not nice vampires, Caroline was immediately reminded of her issues with Klaus. Not only their kissing but her new assignment. She needed to figure out a way to learn what he might be up to. Caroline had tossed and turned for hours about what she should do. Espionage and secrecy weren't exactly her forte.

Neither was subtlety. Eventually the idea came to her. She would do what she did best. Be un-subtle.

Caroline showered and dressed and headed downstairs. She wanted to go by her house and check on her mom and Matt. Even though Matt seemed to be perpetually mad at her, she just couldn't forget that she had once cared about him. She still did care even though it wasn't in the same way anymore. She wanted to make sure he was healing ok since he had refused to drink any of her blood the night before. Maybe after suffering through the night he would have changed his mind.

At the thought of blood Caroline could feel her throat burn and her fangs sharpen. It had been a few days since she had fed. Perhaps she would run down to the basement and grab a blood bag before heading out for the day. She should also probably text Elena and let her know where she was going in case anything happened. They all had to keep an eye out for each other even more so than usual these days.

Caroline bounced down the stairs and nearly ran into something hard. Or someone rather. Klaus. He caught her by the arms and steadied her on the landing. Caroline started and looked up at him. His steely blue eyes were dancing with wicked amusement. She felt a jolt of fear and excitement at the way his hands grasped her shoulders.

"Good morning darling," he said, the ever-present smirk painted across his face.

Caroline tried to slow her heartbeat, which should have been easy considering that it no longer beat anymore.

"Morning," she replied, stepping back once he had released her. She hadn't planned on seeing him quite so soon. But, no time like the present, she might as well start her plan now.

"Why are you here so early?" Caroline questioned.

"I'm an early riser. Just checking to make sure my doppelganger made it through the night safely. Good to see no townsfolk with pitchforks broke in while I was gone," Klaus replied coolly.

Caroline gave him an unamused look. "You know that can't happen. Bonnie took care of that for all of us."

A few days after the war had started Bonnie cast a spell around the Salvatore house as well as the Gilbert house to keep out any hostile visitors. They didn't want a repeat of the attack on Tyler.

"Oh yes, I am well aware," Klaus replied.

"Too bad she couldn't extend that spell to keep you out," Caroline shot back, brushing past him to get to the basement.

"My my Caroline, aren't we a little testy this morning?"

"Well it's just because I haven't had my breakfast yet," Caroline said yanking the basement door open. She walked down the stairs into the dark, dungeon like area, over to the deep freezer. Inside were a little less than a dozen blood bags. Caroline grabbed one and shut the freezer. It looked like they would have to make a trip to the blood bank soon and restock.

"If you're at all interested I would be willing to take you out for a real breakfast," Klaus said following her back upstairs into the living room.

"No thanks Klaus. Not interested."

"Tell me Caroline, have you ever tasted real human blood? Straight from the tap as it were?"

"Yes. Of course I have."

"So then what pray tell is the big deal? I discovered a charming little place last night where-"

"I don't feed from innocent people," Caroline replied looking him straight in the eye. Klaus waivered for a moment under her scrutiny. Not that some little baby vampire could ever make him feel any sort of guilt about his nature.

"Pity," he said regaining his early snarkiness, "you don't know what you're missing."

Caroline grinned sarcastically at him while she sipped from her blood bag. Klaus moved to her bar and poured himself a drink.

"Scotch at Nine A.M.? Really?" Caroline chided.

Klaus raised his glass in the air. "Cheers darling."

Caroline took the last sip from her bag and tossed it in the biohazard wastebasket. Even though they were all supernatural, you couldn't be too careful.

"Whatever, I have to get going," Caroline replied grabbing her purse off the couch.

"Where are you off to today dear Caroline? More errands for Damon and Elena?" Klaus took another swig finishing off his scotch.

"Actually I'm going to my mom's to check on her and Matt and grab some stuff from my house," Caroline informed him. She didn't know why she was telling him all this. He didn't care.

"Well allow me to accompany you then. It's probably not wise for you to be out on your own. Especially not after yesterday's events."

Caroline couldn't help but agree. Even if Klaus couldn't exactly be trusted to protect her, she might run less of a chance of being attacked if they were together.

"Fine," she said, "that just makes my job easier."

"What do you mean?" Klaus asked cocking his head to one side. Caroline had never seen the hybrid look confused before. It was an odd expression on him. But now was her chance to test out her "unsubtle" plan.

"Just that Elena told me to keep an extra eye on you. We all know you have some other motive for sticking around Mystic Falls other than keeping Elena safe and it's my job to figure out what it is."

Caroline hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. Hopefully, this crazy plan of hers wasn't about to backfire. Klaus smiled at her and offered a slight bow.

"Anything to make your job easier would be my pleasure," he responded.

* * *

><p>Klaus rode with Caroline in her car to her house. He knew his hybrid would be lurking somewhere in the shadows. He hoped the stupid girl wouldn't come running up to him once he appeared. It wouldn't do him any favors to have Caroline know he had a secret agenda; although apparently it wasn't so secret.<p>

The others were smart to be suspicious of him. Hell if they hadn't been they truly would have been more foolish than he originally thought. Klaus had to admire Caroline's spirited defiance towards him. He so hated when enemies just slunk around one another pretending. Stefan had been like that when they had been together in Chicago and he always found it so dull. He liked the open verbal sparring. The friendly hatred as it were. He doubted Caroline was trying to warn him of anything. But it greatly amused him that she just laid all of her cards on the table for him to see, so to speak.

Caroline stopped the car in her driveway and turned to him. A serious look on her face.

"You can't come in," she told him," It's my mom's house and there's no way I could convince her to invite you in." She looked down at her hands, pulling at her fingers nervously. "Even if I could I don't think it would be a good idea for you to have an invitation."

Klaus looked at her. It was quaint how just a moment ago she was spewing venom at him and now was worried about offending him. However, he didn't like seeing her nervousness. For some reason he would rather her be at ease around him. He brought his fingers to her chin and tilted her head so that her eyes met his.

"No worries love. I'll just hang out by the door."

Caroline's lip curved into a half smile. Then she turned and got out of the door. Klaus watched her unlock the door and step inside. Once the front door was shut, he got out of the car and walked towards the entrance. He looked around. He could sense his hybrid nearby, safely concealed somewhere.

Klaus didn't know much anything about Caroline's relationship with her parents. From listening to conversations between the others he learned that there was once a run in which her father had kidnapped her and tried to torture her out of her vampire habits. Even though her mother had helped saved her, apparently they had still had a tenuous relationship.

"How's Matt doing?" Klaus couldn't see anything but he could hear their conversation perfectly as if it was happening right next to him.

"He's fine. He went home this morning with fresh bandages. I told him he would be ok going to the hospital if he felt like he should," Caroline's mom answered her.

"It wouldn't even be necessary if he would have just let me give him my blood," Caroline replied.

"Caroline, Matt has his reasons."

"It's just ridiculous."

"It isn't ridiculous. You can't just expect everyone to be ok with everything all the time."

"But mom, everyone is acting insane. They're acting like we're completely different people. This entire town has known me and Elena and Bonnie and Jeremy our whole lives. And now they treat us like we're monsters."

"You are a monster," Klaus heard Caroline's mother murmur.

"Mom, you don't mean that." There was a long pause. Klaus could imagine the nervous face he saw moments ago in the car making its reappearance.

Sheriff Forbes sighed heavily. "Caroline, you're my daughter, my baby, but I can't ignore the things I've been taught all of my life. I can't ignore the fact that what you are goes against nature and all of my beliefs."

"But mom—" Caroline pleaded.

"Caroline, I think it would be best if you didn't come back here anymore. I take back my invitation. I really just don't have a choice."

A few seconds later Caroline came barreling out the front door swinging it closed to behind her. She stalked toward her car, stopping besides the driver's side door. She just stood there, staring at the roof.

Klaus walked slowly from where he had been standing by the front window over toward her. He stood behind her looking down at her back. Her shoulders sagged inward and her head hung. He reached for her, gently turning her to face him. He noticed her eyes brimmed with tears as she looked up at him. They did not spill over onto her cheeks though.

"Let's go," she said coldly, turning from his scrutinizing glance and unlocking her door.

Klaus let his hand drop and walked around to the passenger side, getting in. The car dinged as she threw it into reverse and backed out of the driveway.

"Seatbelt please," she said keeping her tear-filled eyes on the road in front of her.

Caroline's hands gripped the wheel tightly. Klaus could see her trying desperately to keep her composure. He wished there was some way that he could let her know that is would be ok to cry in front of him. But he admired her bravery. He didn't want to condescend her. She didn't say one word as they drove back to the boarding house. Neither did Klaus. He was afraid to even look at her. It was odd.

They reached the driveway and she parked the car. But instead of getting out, Caroline just sat there. Klaus finally looked over at her. She still hadn't started crying. Her hands still gripped the steering wheel as she stared off into space. Suddenly he found himself desperately wishing he could comfort her. He knew too well what it was like to have a mother that thought you were an abomination. A mother who couldn't get past the facts of your existence no matter how much it wasn't your fault. He knew what it felt like to be alone, without anyone who really cared for you. He didn't wish that for Caroline.

"My dad tried to kill me, my mom hates me, Matt dumped me, and now Tyler is dead," Caroline turned towards Klaus her eyes sad, "Will anyone ever love me again?"

Klaus watched her eyes search his for an answer. He opened his mouth to speak, but then suddenly she ran from the car and into the house, quicker than a blink of an eye. Klaus's jaw ticked. He knew exactly how she felt. He hated that her mother had caused her pain that she didn't deserve. And he hated even more that with all of his powers, he was powerless to comfort her.

* * *

><p>Later that night Caroline sat in her room on her laptop. It was late. She had decided to have a bit of a pity party in her room with Elena and Bonnie the rest of the day. She definitely deserved it. But eventually Damon came in to bother them, which resulted in Elena being dragged away and then Bonnie went back to Jeremy's house where she had been staying. Therefore Caroline was now alone.<p>

She hadn't seen Klaus since she came back from her mom's. She couldn't help but think she must have freaked him out with her emotional display. Now her chances with him were probably ruined. Wait, not _with him_ with him. She didn't mean it like that. She tossed her laptop to the side of her king sized bed and flopped back dramatically. Ok, she admitted it. She was crushing. Hard.

She couldn't help it though, especially ever since that kiss. She'd gotten to know him better over the past few weeks and the truth was, he wasn't so bad. Sure he had done bad things, but so had Damon. Damon had done plenty of bad stuff but it turned out that he really did have a tarnished heart of gold. So why couldn't the same be said of Klaus? Maybe that side just hadn't been fully uncovered.

They truth was, after the ordeal with her mom that day she had wished Klaus had been the one to cheer her up. Which was silly because even if Klaus did care about her that way, he wasn't really the cheer up kind of guy. It wouldn't really be like with Tyler. Whenever she felt bad, Tyler would be there with open arms, ready to console her until she fell asleep. She missed that.

Just then she heard a knock at her door. "Come in," Caroline groaned, sitting up.

The door creaked open to reveal Klaus. He had a white bag in his hand and an unusually timid smile on his face.

"Good evening Caroline," he said crossing the threshold into her room.

"Klaus," Caroline shot up to her knees, "what are you doing here?"

Klaus entered her room and shut the door behind him. Caroline glanced down at herself, feeling a little embarrassed. She was already in her pajamas; a tank top and some printed shorts. Klaus was looking impeccably disheveled as always in his long sleeve t-shirt and distressed jeans.

"I've brought you a little present darling," he explained presenting her with the white paper bag he had in his hand.

Caroline took it from him, eyeing him suspiciously. She could only imagine what kind of "present" he would bring her. She looked down into the bag. Her eyes widened in surprised and her jaw dropped. She glanced back up at Klaus who was grinning; clearly pleased with himself.

"You brought me French fries?" She managed to sputter.

"Yes. From the next town over. Completely greasy and completely vervain free."

Caroline dropped back on her heals. She was touched. It was such a thoughtful gesture. "Why do you go to all that trouble?"

"Well not to much trouble. You mentioned them yesterday at The Grill. I thought they might cheer you up a bit after today's events."

Caroline smiled. She couldn't believe it. First of all that he remembered something she had mentioned in passing the day before and secondly that Klaus had done something nice. For her.

"Thank you," she replied, reaching her delicate hand into the bag and pulling out a single fry. She popped it into her mouth and groaned in satisfaction. "Mmm, so good! Do you want one?"

Klaus held his hand up and shook his read. "No, none for me."

Caroline grabbed a fry from the bag and slid off the bed to stand in front of him.

"Come on, just one. Or are you trying to watch your girlish figure?" Her eyes mocked him playfully.

He chuckled. "No, I don't eat food. Remember?"

"Oh one won't hurt. I promise you won't regret it." She swirled the fry in front of his mouth. Klaus watched her in amusement. She was teasing him. He couldn't remember ever being teased by anyone.

The slight opening of his mouth was all it took for Caroline to quickly slide the fry past his lips. Her fingers lingered there for a mere moment. She shivered at the contact of his soft lips on her index finger.

Klaus could taste the saltiness of the food. It did taste better than he remembered. Not as good as a fresh vein, but still quite palatable. But his thoughts were less on the food in his mouth and more on the brief contact just a moment ago. Her fingers on his mouth awakened a different hunger in him that neither French-fries, nor blood, could satisfy.

He watched her back away nervously and slink back towards her bed. In those tiny shorts that showed off her perfect, creamy legs, stopping just below her bum. Thanks to those tiny pajamas, Klaus could see her every perfect curve. He silently thanked whoever was responsible for modern woman's sleepwear.

"I was gonna watch a movie, do you wanna hang out for a bit?"

Caroline was asking him to "hang out". That was another first. Klaus suddenly felt weird. No. This was too much. Too much niceness. Going across the state to bring Caroline French fries, cheering her up, eating food, staring at her bum. No no no. He did not do things like this. Especially not with someone who was his enemy. So Klaus did the only thing he could think of to do.

"I would love to," he said with a smile. He kicked off his shoes and settled down on the bed. Caroline smiled and walked over to put in a dvd. She carried the remote control back with her and lay down on the bed next to him.

"We're watching Casablanca. Sorry if it's too girly for you but since I'm the one that's sad, I get to pick the movie," Caroline said making herself comfortable.

Klaus shrugged. "I've seen it. Rebecca dragged me to it in 1942. Not bad."

"Where is Rebecca these days anyways," Caroline asked nibbling on another French fry.

"She's not very happy with me which, I'm sure you're aware of since she was a part of your friends' latest plot to kill me," Klaus peered at Caroline who looked completely unapologetic. That pleased him for some reason. "I'm sure she'll make an appearance eventually to let me know just how frustrated she is with me."

Caroline nodded and handed him a fry. "Maybe you could use a few more of these then too." Klaus lip twitched upwards as he accepted the food from her. "I guess we both know what it's like to have our families hate us."

With that Caroline turned her attention towards the television and continued eating her French fries. It was true. Even though Caroline's situation was a bit different from Klaus's, he still understood how she felt. Perhaps she could understand how he felt. How he had always felt alone in the world, not being loved by his mother or father, being distrusted by his siblings. It was true what Mikael had said. No one was really loyal to him by choice: it was only out of fear or obligation. Even now that he had his hybrids and Mikael was dead he didn't feel truly happy.

He looked over at the blonde girl sitting next to him. It was probably a good thing Klaus had seen the movie before since his attention was mostly on Caroline. She nibbled her fries and smiled wistfully at the story on the screen. He didn't know much about her but what he did know gave him a measure of hope. Could this girl see something in him? Even though he was a deceptive, murderer who all of her friends hated. Could she fill the gap in his life?

There was another knock at the door. Caroline shot up from her relaxed position.

"Who is it?" She called.

"It's Elena."

"Shoot," she muttered quietly to herself. She turned to Klaus and whispered. "Sit here, don't move and don't make any noise." She got up and padded to the door, opening only enough so her head could stick out and Klaus's presence stayed concealed.

The hope that Klaus had felt only a moment ago faded. She couldn't fill the gap. They couldn't have any kind of relationship, friendship or otherwise, because Caroline's friends would never accept it. He would put a stop to these feelings now. Whatever they were. No more surprise presents and "hanging out" after tonight. This would just be a one off.

Caroline shut the door quietly and climbed back into the bed.

"Sorry," she said cozying up next to him, "I just don't want to deal with any arguments over you being here right now."

Klaus just nodded but kept his eyes on the movie. It was decided; after tonight, no more Caroline.

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><p><strong>Hope you guys liked! Feel free to reviews. I should be updating again fairly soon, since I have almost all the story written. I'm actually finishing up the last couple of chapters now. Am I updating too quickly for you guys? How often do you other authors out there usually update your stories. Let me know!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**So I know I only updated a few hours ago but I wanted to give you guys another chapter to celebrate. What are we celebrating you ask? I've just written to ending to Fire and Ice! Ok maybe I'm too excited haha. I've been on Thanksgiving break and have had a lot of time for writing. Just so you guys know, it'll be 14 chapters all together with a short Epilogue. I hope you guys like this enough to stick with it for 14 chapters.**

**This one is a bit shorter than the others. Let me know what you think of the latest! Cheers!**

* * *

><p>The next morning began exactly like the morning before. Shining sun, singing birds, only there was one tiny difference. Caroline awoke and found herself in the arms of Klaus, using his chest as his pillow. She didn't remember falling asleep last night. She must have dozed off during the movie.<p>

Klaus's arms were wrapped around her and she lay snuggled against his body. He smelled wonderful. Natural. Like the forest right after a rainstorm. Ironically, his arms felt warm and safe. She hated that something so wrong could feel so right. Careful not to disturb anything, she lifted her head and peeled slightly away to look up at him. His eyes were closed and he was fast asleep. Caroline laughed to herself. She had never really thought about him sleeping before. For some reason she had just assumed that an all-powerful original vampire werewolf hybrid wouldn't ever need sleep. Apparently that wasn't true.

Klaus's eyes shot open and he stared at Caroline. She held her breath, unsure of how he would react. The moment dragged out for an eternity, just the two of them staring wide-eyed at one another. Finally, Caroline couldn't take the silence any longer. It just wasn't like her to stall. She opened her mouth to say something but then suddenly found herself flipped over onto her back with Klaus hovering over her. Without a second thought, he dipped his head down and kissed her.

It was just like before when they were outside of The Grill. His were lips strong and passionate. She couldn't barely think as he kissed her hard and desperately. It was as if he had been waiting to do this all night. She felt his hands glide down her body. She shivered as his fingers tips grazed the sides of her breasts and stopped to play with the skin where her shirt met her shorts. Somehow she knew this was her cue.

Her hands searched for the edge of his t-shirt as she made to peal it from his body. His lips ripped from hers only long enough so that she could pull the shirt off of him and toss it to the floor; then his mouth was on her again. This time he began tracing a line of sinful kisses down her jaw and neck. His teeth grazed her clavicle and she moaned at the sensuous feel of it.

"You are wearing too many clothes," Klaus remarked in between kisses. When she said nothing, he paused his ministrations for a moment to look up at her. Caroline's cocked an eyebrow in acquiescence; as if to say," _really? Well you know what you can do about that."_

That was all the affirmation Klaus needed. He quickly ripped away her tank top and shorts. Only once she was completely naked did he slow down, running his hands down her body in complete reverence. Caroline quivered at the contact. Klaus's hands were exquisite. His fingers had that perfect sensation of rough and smooth. He stared down at her like she was a goddess. Caroline had never seen anyone look at her like that before. She wasn't a virgin by any means, but she felt shy all of a sudden under his stare.

Klaus stood up off the bed and removed the rest of his clothing. Caroline's eyes raked lustfully down his body. He was beautiful; a living Adonis, all lean muscle and ideal perfection. Klaus climbed over her, covering her entire body with his. He dipped his head down for another kiss. This time slow and full; tongues dancing together with each pass. His eyes were closed and he touched his forehead to hers. She ran her hands gently down his cheeks and cupped his face.

"Caroline," he whispered; her name sounding like a hymn on his lips.

"Klaus," she returned which just as much feeling.

And with another deep kiss, they both passed the point of no return.

* * *

><p>Klaus lay there in bed with Caroline in his arms. It had to be close to noon by now. She had fallen asleep again after they had made love a second time. He stroked the skin on her back gently as she slumbered against his chest. Clearly, he thought, this was perfection. Caroline was perfection. No other woman in the world could hold a candle to her. The way she touched him was unlike anything he had experienced ever before. She brought the same fierceness and passion she held in life into the bed.<p>

The way she held him, the fire that filled her eyes, the way she called his name as she came. It was all just perfect. Klaus couldn't imagine there ever being anything more perfect in the entire world. It was unlike him to feel this way though. Perhaps he should slow down a bit. He had always said that love was a vampire's greatest weakness. Was this love though? Maybe not quite yet but he was definitely falling. Falling for this neurotic, blonde, teen-queen vampire.

Caroline's phone buzzed on the nightstand next to her. Her eyes flutter opened and she stretched back to reached for it. She groaned as she saw the caller ID.

"Ugh, I'll deal with that later," she muttered tossing the phone back onto the nightstand. She looked over at Klaus who was watching her. "Hi," she said shyly.

"Hi," he replied with a smile. Caroline's eyes flitted around the room nervously. She wasn't sure whether or not to look directly at him.

"Soooo," she said.

"Soooo," he returned.

"Would you stop repeating everything I say!" Caroline exclaimed.

Klaus chuckled. "I'm sorry, it's just that you are ever so amusing when you are a loss for words darling."

"I've never really been good at this part," Caroline said biting her lower lip.

Klaus could feel his blood rushing again at the sight of her lip between her teeth.

"Ah, you mean the awkward morning after dance?" Caroline nodded. "Well," Klaus said, "It's not really the morning after, it's still the morning of. We would have to spend the night together to truly have a proper awkward morning after."

Caroline released her lip and grinned. He could see her posture relax a little. "That's true." She replied. Klaus slipped an arm around her waist a pulled her back into him until her face was barely and inch away from his own.

"I'm free tonight, if you are," he grinned seductively. Caroline dipped down and gave him a deep kiss. Klaus moaned his appreciation into her mouth.

Suddenly she pulled back and covered her mouth. "Oh my God!" She exclaimed sitting up fully on the bed. Klaus felt a surge of panic. Obviously she had regained her wits and realized that that morning had been an atrocious mistake.

"What's wrong?" He asked preparing himself for the worst.

"Oh my gosh," Caroline said between her fingers, "I must have the _worst_ morning breath!"

Klaus relaxed. Morning breath. This girl was worried about morning breath, not the fact that she had just slept with her mortal enemy. Caroline hopped out of bed, dragging the sheet wrapped around her, and went into the bathroom.

Klaus lay back on the bed and folded his arms behind his head. He could help but smile to himself. Morning breath. He heard the water from the sink rush into the tap and the scrubbing sounds from Caroline's toothbrush. It was all so peaceful and domestic. Perhaps he could get used to this.

Just then the door to Caroline's bedroom opened and in walked Damon. Klaus shot up off the bed, still very naked. Damon eyed him up and down quickly, sneering.

"What in the hell is going on?" He demanded.

"So what do you—" Caroline came out of the bathroom but stopped short when she saw their new guest. She gripped the sheet tight around her chest. "Oh my god Damon what are you doing in here?"

"This happens to be my house blondie, what are _you_ doing in here? With him?"

Caroline rushed forward to push Damon out of the room, but he didn't budge. "I'm not moving until you tell me why Klaus is naked in your bedroom."

"That's really none of your business Damon," Caroline crossed her arms over her chest defiantly.

Damon's mouth twisted and his eyes flared. He hated not being in control. "Elena is going to freak when she finds out about this."

"When Elena finds out about what," there was Elena standing in the doorway. Her jawed dropped at the site of her scantily clad best friend and naked worst enemy. Caroline groaned. This could not possibly get any worse. Klaus stood his ground appearing to be flippant and keeping his eye on Damon, who looked like he might jump him at any moment.

"Look it's not what you think!" Caroline exclaimed.

"Really?" Damon retorted, "Cause it looks like you have been slutting around with—"

"That's enough," Klaus barked walking towards Damon. Damon stood tall towards the unspoken challenge.

Elena tugged on Damon's arm. "Come on Damon, let's sort this out later. With less nakedness." She tugged on him again pulled him from the room. Klaus's nostrils flared in anger at the vampire.

"Ok so that could have been worse," Caroline quipped. "Sorry."

Klaus turned to face her. "It's not exactly a secret that they aren't my biggest fans."

"True," she agreed, "you know it's not exactly easy to pull off tough and menacing while naked, but I have to say you do it quite well." Caroline gave him a mischievous smile. Klaus was glad to see that Damon's intrusion hadn't spoiled that good mood of the morning.

He smirked at her wickedly. "Caroline, you make me blush."

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><p><strong>Ok so hope you liked it. I tried to keep it fairly non-explicit so I would go over the "T" rating. I will probably be updating around every other day. Reason being A) the story is already finished B)I know I always hate when I have to wait days or weeks for a new chapter and C) I leave for Holiday break in a few weeks which means no computer for me and I would want to have to make you guys wait forever for the rest of the story.<strong>

**Only thinking of you all over here :-)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! New Chapter! Not much to say about things today. Thanks again for all the continued comments and support!**

**Cheers!**

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><p>Afterwards, Klaus soon left. Caroline decided it was better to deal with the backlash now rather than later. Also she needed time to think without Klaus around. She could already guess the questions that were going to be fired at her and she wasn't sure how she would answer any of them.<p>

Unfortunately this wasn't a typical relationship situation. She knew she would be risking everything getting involved with him. It wasn't like she could test out the dating waters with him and then if things didn't work out just go back to normal. No, this was an all or nothing deal.

Maybe she should have talked to him first. Even though she couldn't imagine having a "feelings" conversation with Klaus. But some part of her just knew that it was real, that he wasn't just having her on. The way he looked at her, the way he defended her and kissed her and made love to her. It wasn't a game. There had to be real feelings there.

Caroline's phone buzzed again on her nightstand. It was the same unavailable number she had become familiar with over the past three weeks. She sighed. Apparently dealing with her love drama would have to wait just a bit longer. She picked up the device and answered it.

"Hello Stefan."

"Caroline. What's going on? I've been trying to call you all morning."

"Well I've been a little busy," she replied.

"What happened? Is everything ok?" Stefan questioned.

"Yes. The council staged a little attack the other day, but we all made it out ok. No one was hurt." She didn't feel the need to go into the current drama of the morning.

"Yeah, I heard." He heard? Heard from who? "And Elena is still alright?"

Elena. Stefan still cared about Elena. He had been calling Caroline every so often and checking in to make sure Elena was still alive and happy. The alive part was affirmative; the happy part fluctuated from time to time.

"Yes Stefan, Elena is alive and safe," she responded, "but you know you could always come back and see for yourself."

"Caroline you know I can't do that," Stefan sighed through the phone.

"I still don't understand why not. Clearly you care, you have your emotions and you free will back. Why can't you come back and everything can be normal again?" There was a long pause. Stefan didn't answer. Caroline sighed. "Right, once a ripper always a ripper."

"Exactly," was Stefan's only reply.

Caroline grimaced. "Well do you want me to tell her anything from you?"

"No. I still think it's best that she's not aware that I check up on her. Damon either. I don't want them trying to find me again."

Caroline hated having to keep Stefan a secret. She hated seeing that hurt look in Elena's eye whenever someone mentioned him. But Elena was doing her best to move on, maybe it would just hurt more if she knew that Stefan still cared.

"I do need you to do me a favor though," Stefan said breaking her away from her thoughts.

"Sure, what's up?"

"I need you to keep an eye on Klaus for me."

Caroline rolled her eyes. If one more person asked her to do that, she would scream. What was it with everyone thinking she should be Klaus's personal keeper?

"What for?"

"Just let me know if he makes any move to harm any of you in _any_ way."

"Oooook. But I don't think he will. He's been pretty helpful with this whole town war thing. Maybe he's turning over a new leaf?"

"That's good to hear, but don't trust him Caroline. Klaus only does what best serves Klaus. It's in his best interest to help you guys fight this battle right now, but there will come a time when he'll turn against you."

Caroline gulped. She hated the part of her that couldn't deny that as much as she hated the part that wanted to.

"Why is it in his best interest to be fighting with us for now?"

Stefan replied, "That's for me to worry about. Just let me know if he makes any moves."

Oooook. Suspicious much? Caroline agreed and with that she hung up the phone. Something about this all made her uneasy. Damon suspected Klaus of ulterior motives, Stefan was _certain_ that Klaus had ulterior motives. It was her job to figure out what exactly those motives were and keep her friends safe. She didn't want to distrust Klaus, not any more, not after what happened between them. At this point though, he hadn't exactly given her a reason why she shouldn't.

She slipped her phone into her back pocket and turned to make her way downstairs. It wasn't like she was trying to sneak out, but if she didn't meet anyone as she left she wouldn't be too upset. Caroline rounded down the bottom of the stairs and crept past the living room, making her way to her purse on the table by the door.

"You wouldn't be trying to sneak out would you?"

Busted.

Caroline stopped in her tracks and faced Elena, who was standing next to her in the doorway of the living room.

"No, not at all. Just in a hurry. Getting a late start and all."

"Mhmm," Elena nodded, "Anything you want to talk about before you leave?"

"No," Caroline squeaked. She knew it was awful but she was chickening out.

Elena nodded once. "Ok then, I'll start. Klaus."

So now Caroline was forced to come clean.

"Yeah," she said.

"Yeah." Elena raised her eyebrows. "How long has this been going on?"

"Not long. This was the first time."

"Is there going to be a second time?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Maybe?" Elena raised her voice ever so slightly.

"I don't know Elena! I haven't had a lot of time to think about it. Everything has been happening so fast. I was hoping to figure it out for myself before I told you and Bonnie about everything."

"Caroline, you're my friend and normally I trust you. But this? What are you thinking Caroline?"

"I don't know! I don't know."

"You keep saying that."

"Because I don't Elena!" Caroline yelled. Her frustration was hitting the limit. Elena closed her mouth and rocked back slightly. Her eyes darted around the room.

Caroline took a deep breath and let it out, trying to collect her thoughts. She realized her friend wasn't mad at her, just worried.

"Look," she began, "I don't know how this all happened. I guess just since I've been spending all this time with him lately I've gotten to know another side of him. This side that he doesn't let anyone else see."

"But Caroline, he's done so many terrible things. He's tried to kill all of us more than once. He killed me and Jenna. Its his fault Stefan is gone and this town is at war. How can you ignore that?"

"I don't ignore it, but it's not like he's beyond forgiveness." Elena gave her a challenging look. "Look at Damon and all the terrible stuff _he's_ done. He tried to kill me multiple times. He killed Jeremy and Lexie and Alaric. Not to mention dozens of other innocent people. He's caused you plenty of pain. But you still care about him."

"Yeah but that's different," Elena shook her head.

"How Elena? How is that different?"

"Because Damon actually tries to be good on occasion and make up for the stupid things he's done."

"And who's to say Klaus doesn't want the same thing? How well do we really know him?"

Elena exhaled loudly and crossed her arms. Caroline knew she was in the right. There wasn't a huge difference between Damon and Klaus. If Damon could be forgiven for all of his past sins, why couldn't Klaus?

"Caroline do you really like him?" Elena asked after a long pause.

Caroline's mouth twisted. "Elena, there's something there. I don't know what, but I can't help feeling something."

Elena nodded. "Just please be careful. I don't trust him at all, but I don't want you to feel like you have to hide this from me."

Caroline smiled at her friend. "Thank you."

"And don't worry, I'll talk to Damon. He'll stay out of it too."

"Thanks, and could we maybe wait to tell Bonnie and anyone else. Like I said I really want to figure out what's going on before going public."

"Sure," Elena nodded, "Just please be super careful. I don't want you getting hurt. Physically or emotionally."

Caroline nodded and then headed out the door. She got in her car and drove down the driveway away from the boarding house. In her haste to leave her house yesterday, she realized that she had left all of her schoolbooks and study notes. Yes, it had been a bit difficult to keep up, but Caroline still wanted to graduate high school in the spring. Once everything in Mystic Falls was back to normal, she didn't want to be too behind in her classwork. Alaric had done his best to slip into her classes and grab assignments for her from teachers. For now she was teaching herself what she could. Math was proving to be the most difficult to learn straight from the book.

She knew her mom wouldn't be home at this time of the day. She really didn't want to see her anyways. She was still feeling hurt and angry at the way her mother reacted to everything. Instead, she called Matt and asked him to meet her there. He was reluctant, but once she pulled the "I saved your life" card, he agreed to do her this small favor.

Caroline pulled into her driveway. Matt's truck was nowhere to be seen. She decided to get out and wait for him by the door. It shouldn't take him to long to get there. She approached the front door and stood there for a moment. Her eyes landed on the doorknob, considering it. Maybe her mom had realized the error of her ways and changed her mind. Maybe Caroline would be able to get in. She placed her key in the lock and turned it. The door swung open freely. Caroline tried to step past the threshold though and found that she couldn't. Still banned from her own house.

She couldn't even reach for the door to shut it. Caroline huffed and paced back and forth in front of her door. Wouldn't Matt just freakin' hurry up already? Then something caught her attention. Her head whipped to the right. A quick movement in the woods next to her house caught her eye. Someone was there. She watched as they took off running away from her house with supernatural speed. Caroline's fangs dropped and her eyes changed as she darted off after them.

Caroline ran fast and soon caught up with whoever it was. The creature turned and faced her; it's fangs flashing in the sunlight. It was a girl and a hybrid. Caroline gasped. There was only one place a hybrid could come from. Klaus.

Caroline hissed and lunged at the hybrid. She grasped her by the throat and held her firmly against a tree. "What are you doing outside of my house?"

The hybrid girl struggled and hissed at her, trying to break free. "None of your business."

Caroline slammed her against the tree again. "I know it was Klaus. Why did he send you here?"

The hybrid glared at her. "He told me to watch the Sheriff. He said not to hurt the blonde vampire girl who would be hanging around here. He said if I did he would kill me."

Caroline released the girl and she dropped to the ground. She was taken aback. Why would Klaus send a hybrid to her mother's house? And why would he threaten it not to harm Caroline? What was he up to?

"Get out of here. Don't come back. If I see you again, I'll kill you myself." Caroline bared her fangs and glared at the girl on the ground.

"I'd like to see you try," she growled. Caroline's leg shot out and kicked her in the ribs. The girl screamed and she flipped out of harm's way. Before Caroline could get another shot in, she ran off back to her master.

Caroline fumed with anger. There was a certain original hybrid she knew that was going to have a lot of explaining to do.


	6. Chapter 6

**New Chapter guys! As always thanks for the continued support. Keep those reviews coming, I always love to hear your feedback! Also if anyone is into making Tumblr graphics I would love love love you forever! **

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Klaus waited outside the boarding house. He usually didn't have a problem barging in like he owned the place, but in light of recent events, he decided to wait outside. He hadn't seen Caroline since the morning. He'd spent his day checking on his hybrids and wandering around town keeping an eye on everything in Mystic Falls. The hybrids hadn't picked up any information of importance. One of them had told him about the council getting together the night before, but no new plans had been devised.<p>

He decided that his hybrids could be of better use to him rather than watching over the pathetic town council. That situation really shouldn't be his main concern. Instead the hybrids could be out hunting Stefan. He ordered them away from Mystic Falls, all except Annie, who remained outside of Sheriff Forbes home. He thought it might score him a few points if he had a personal protector outside of Caroline's house.

Klaus emerged from his seat on the porch as Caroline parked her car in front of the house. It was rather late in the evening. He wondered what she had been doing out all day.

"Hello darling," he said greeting her with a smirk.

"Don't 'darling' me. Ass!" She replied as she approached him. The smile fell from his face.

"And why, pray tell, am I the recipient of such a greeting?"

"Well," Caroline began, "you could start telling me why there was a hybrid outside of my house."

Klaus frowned. His stupid hybrid had been seen. She would be severely punished for her mistake.

"No you know what," the blonde vampire continued, "you can explain to me why there are even still hybrids in Mystic Falls. I thought they had all been killed."

Klaus clenched his fist and brushed past her roughly. He didn't let anyone speak to him this way. "You're mistaken Caroline. I don't have to explain anything to you."

"You do if you want me to trust you," Caroline shouted at his retreating figure. Klaus whipped around to face her. Her hands were on her hips in determination. She wouldn't be satisfied unless she had the truth.

"When did I ever ask you to trust me Caroline?" Klaus snapped back. Her mouth opened and then closed silently. It was a low blow, he knew it.

"You didn't ask, I just thought—" she stuttered.

"You thought what?" He said walking toward her. He towered over her and stared into her eyes. " You thought because we slept together that you were privy to all of my secrets now. I'm not one of your Mystic Falls teenage heart throbs Caroline. I am an Original Vampire. A hybrid. I don't have to answer to you or to anyone else."

Caroline's jaw ticked. She returned his stare evenly. But the tears that began to pool in her eyes betrayed her brave face.

"Fine," she replied. Then she spun on her heels and walked into the house, slamming the door behind her.

The hybrid exhaled and dragged a hand across his face. So that was that then. He couldn't regret this. It was good that they had this argument. It was true. Klaus shouldn't have to answer to Caroline for his actions. He was displeased that now the rest of them would know about his secret hybrids but it didn't matter either way. There was nothing he could do about it. Of course he was going to keep making hybrids. He needed them.

Klaus couldn't believe that Caroline had brought trust into it. Of course he never had asked for her trust. He didn't need her trust. Did he? Well it didn't matter anymore. She was back to hating him as it should be and he could go back to not caring about the little blonde vampire. He flashed off into the darkness away from the boarding house. He knew of a certain displeasing hybrid that he could take his frustrations out on.

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><p>Caroline slammed the door and entered the house in a huff. She threw her purse down and headed towards the liquor cabinet. After what she had had to deal with the past two days, she could use a good stiff drink. Damon was already there nursing a scotch as usual. She grabbed the bottle from him and slammed a glass down onto the bar. The brown liquor sloshed into the glass and she gulped it down her throat angrily.<p>

"What's got your pom poms in a twist blondie?" Damon quipped.

"Shut up Damon. I really don't want to hear it," Caroline growled throwing back another shot. Her face twisted at the bitter taste of the alcohol.

"Let me guess, problems with your psychopathic serial killing hybrid boyfriend?" Damon grabbed the bottle from her.

"He's not a serial killer," Caroline retorted. Wait, why was she defending Klaus? She was supposed to be mad at him. "Also he is not my boyfriend."

Damon snorted. "Well in between all the non-boyfriend bedroom fun did you happen to figure out any reason why he might still be in Mystic Falls. Other than Elena?"

"No. Klaus isn't exactly forthcoming about his agenda," she replied reaching for the bottle again. Damon kept it away from her though. She frowned at him and flopped down on the couch. "He is still making hybrids though."

"What?" Damon asked, lowering his glass.

"I saw one of them tonight. Outside my mom's house. I have no idea why it was there. All she said was that Klaus had sent her there and also ordered her not to hurt me."

"I thought all the hybrids were killed at homecoming," Damon's eyebrows furrowed.

"Yeah me too."

Damon slammed his hands down on the bar. "Damn it! He's still trying to build his little hybrid army. How are we going to fight off the humans and keep them from getting killed by hybrids at the same time?"

Caroline watched him pace back and forth, occasionally taking swigs from his glass. She was beginning to feel a little bit of pity for Damon. Even though he was a snarky, conniving bastard from time to time, it must be hard for him. Watching his brother disappear on a murderous rampage, trying to protect Elena, being the reluctant leader for them all. It was clear Damon didn't want any of this, but he was stepping up to the challenge.

"Damon we'll figure it out. It'll be ok," Caroline said to him.

"I'm beginning to think its time to call it day and just get out of Mystic Falls."

Caroline stood abruptly. "You'd really do that? You'd just leave Elena here to fend for herself?"

"No of course not! I mean all of us. Just get out of here. Start over somewhere else away from Klaus and this poisonous town."

"But this is our home. It's Elena's home. She's not going to want to leave."

Damon swirled the liquid in his glass thoughtfully. He glanced at Caroline and grimaced. "I know. Believe me we've had this discussion. But no one can doubt the appeal of the easy way out."

Caroline nodded in agreement and reached for the bottle again. This time Damon let her have it.

At that moment Alaric walked through the door.

"Ric, just in time. You always like a good pity party," Damon greeted him.

"Good to see you too Damon," Alaric retorted. He nodded at Caroline. "Listen guys this is important and I don't have a lot of time. There's another council meeting tonight at some undisclosed location. They're supposed to text me the address right before it starts."

"And then you'll text it to us," Damon added rhetorically.

"What's going on Alaric?" Caroline interjected.

"There's no vervain in the water." Alaric told them. He paused to let this new information sink in.

"What do you mean?" Caroline asked. Her head shook slightly in disbelief.

"Just what I said. The town's water supply is vervain free."

"How do you know?" Damon questioned.

"I noticed it three days ago. I've been lacing my food with vervain for enough years to be able to detect its presence. The council started slipping it into the water supply after homecoming. But now it's completely gone."

"Why did they stop spiking the water?" Caroline asked.

"Yeah it's not like the supply ran out," Damon added.

"I don't know. I'm waiting to hear if the council will bring it up at the meeting tonight. It may or may not be a purposeful occurrence."

"Do you think the council is realizing that they made a mistake about all of us?"

"I very much doubt that Caroline," Damon said.

"I don't know what's going on," Alaric replied, "but this could be our chance. If the town is vervain free that means they will be susceptible to compulsion. You guys could end this war by making them forget that they know supernaturals exist."

"I don't know," Damon said, "Were kind of low on vampires around here. In case you haven't noticed, blondie here and I are the only ones. Plus how are we going to even get ahold of people long enough for us to compel them?"

"There's got to be a way. Can't you compel a whole room or something like that?"

"We have to try though Damon, it's at least worth a shot. If we can end all this without anyone getting killed." Caroline felt a flicker hope. It was a shoddy plan but it just might work. It might be their only chance to put the town back together again.

"I'll see if anything comes up tonight," Alaric said, "I suggest we wait a few more days before trying anything. Just so we can be sure the vervain is out of everyone's systems."

"Alright and we'll be hanging outside of the meeting tonight just in case we can pick up anything you might miss," Damon replied.

Alaric's phone buzzed in his pocket. He flipped it open. It was a text message from the council. He showed it to Damon for placing it back in his pocket and heading back out. The secret meeting was due to start in a half hour.

"Time to sober up blondie. We've got a council meeting to attend."


	7. Chapter 7

**The last chapter was kinda short and I don't know about you guys, but there just wasn't enough Klaus/Caroline time. So it's a double update day! You're welcome :) Hope you guys enjoy.**

**Cheers!**

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><p>Klaus had spent the better part of an hour beating the living hell out of his hybrid, Annie. After all it was her fault that he was in this fight with Caroline now. Once he felt he had caused a significant amount of pain he left her by the encampment and headed back to his cabin.<p>

Usually torturing an unfortunate subordinate made Klaus feel better, but now he just felt worse. His damn resolve started to waiver. The look in Caroline's eyes when they had argued before was seared into his brain. The way she was trying to look so brave and unaffected by what he said in spite of the fact that tears were welling in her eyes killed him.

He couldn't stand the fact that he had caused her pain. He liked it better when she smiled because of him. He liked their light banter. And yes, he did enjoy sparring with her; she was delightfully fiery after all. But it wasn't as much fun when their words were truly hurtful.

This was one of the rare times when Klaus wished he had someone around that he could talk to. Someone he could trust. He longed for the times when he had Elijah and Rebecca by his side. Or even when he had Stefan as a true friend. Now he only had himself, so he was constantly going around in circles about his feelings.

But wasn't that the point? He could only trust himself. He couldn't trust his own siblings let alone a blonde teenaged vampire. No matter how amazing and beautiful he thought she was. No matter how much more powerful he had felt with her in his arms. The feel of her body in sync with his was even more amazing than when he became a full hybrid.

But no, it didn't matter. He was resolved. From now on he would keep his distance, make sure his doppelganger stayed alive, and see to it that his hybrids found Stefan as soon as possible. Klaus heard his phone go off. He walked over and grabbed it off the bed checking the caller ID first. It was Elena's number. What could the doppelganger possibly be calling him about?

He answered. "Hello?"

"Klaus?" Elena's voice sounded through the receiver.

"The one and only. What can I do for you?"

"There was a council meeting tonight. Caroline and Damon were there. They got ambushed. Caroline was hurt."

Klaus felt the color drain from his face. _Caroline was hurt._ This time is was real. He was out the door in less than a second and running towards the Salvatore house. He was scared of what he would find when he got there. Certainly she wasn't dead. No Elena would have said that. Right? There were a limited number of ways to kill a vampire. No she couldn't be dead. Please don't let her be dead. He pumped his feet as fast as he could, even his supernatural hybrid speed couldn't get him to Caroline's side fast enough.

Elena met him at the front door.

"Where is she?" He growled. His anger and worry had reached a boiling point on his journey over.

"Look," Elena said, "I don't trust you and whatever is going on with you and Caroline. But she's hurt and I figured she'd probably want you by her side. Here's your chance to prove me wrong."

Klaus just glared at the foolish doppelganger. His nostrils flared impatiently. He didn't need to prove a god damned thing to her. He needed to see Caroline and make sure she was all right before he started ripping people to shreds.

"She's upstairs, in her room."

Klaus flashed up to Caroline's room. He slowly opened the door. There was Caroline tucked into bed resting. She was alive. Klaus felt a fragment of relief wash over him. He quietly entered the room and closed the door behind him. It was dark. The only source of light was from the moon outside. Thanks to his superior vision though, he could still see. He pulled a chair up next to her bedside and looked her over.

She had bandages wrapped around her both her forearms and one across the top of her shoulder. He could see the blood that had soaked through them slightly. There were also dozens of tiny pink cuts all around her face and neck. They were close to being fully healed. Klaus reached out his hand to brush the hair away from her face. Caroline's eyes slowly opened. She looked up at him.

"Hi," she croaked out weakly.

"Hi," Klaus returned with a small smile.

"What are you doing here?"

"Elena called me," he replied his hand was still gently caressing the side of her face with his knuckles "what happened?"

"The usual. Vampire hating council members catch vampires trying to crash their vampire haters meeting," Caroline winced a as she tried to shift, "It was an ambush. We barely made it out of there. Damon and Alaric had to carry me back. It's safe to say no more double agent-ing for Alaric."

Klaus took a deep breath. He traced his fingers down her arm and took her tiny hand in his.

"I'm sorry. I should have been there."

"Why? So you could be hurt too?"

Klaus chuckled. "Those weak humans can't harm me."

"Oh I right I forgot. You're a big bad invincible original hybrid," Caroline jibed playfully.

"That's right," he returned giving her hand a light squeeze.

The two of them just sat there in silence for a while looking into one another's eyes. Klaus was amazed at how all his resolve to leave her behind vanished whenever he was in her presence. Her touch rendered him powerless. The look on her face and seeing her vulnerability made him never want to leave her side again. He felt the fierce need to protect her from any sort of harm.

Caroline gave his hand a weak tug, "This bed is pretty comfy. Care to join me?"

Klaus smirked. He released her hand and stood up to remove his shoes, placing them onto the floor. He walked around to the other side of the bed and climbed in, wrapping one of his strong arms around her waist and gently pulling her back towards his chest so that he was spooning her.

Again it felt so right to have her in his arms. Even more so now that he knew she was safe and he was there to protect her. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled. He loved her sweet smell. The light scent of her perfume filled his nose. He felt her fingers gently stoke the arm he had wrapped around her waist.

"Hey," she said pausing her ministrations, "aren't I supposed to be mad at you about something?" Her tone was light.

"Ah yes. I believe the issue of hybrids was a point of disagreement," he returned playfully.

"Really? Because I thought it was the issue of trust that was being debated."

Oh Caroline, his clever girl. It was now or never. He winced to himself. The point of no return hadn't been when he kissed her or made love to her or even when he rushed to her side tonight. No, the real point was allowing himself to trust her. He took a deep breath and let it out.

"I need them Caroline. I don't want to be the only one of my kind. I don't want to be alone."

He felt Caroline still as she considered his words. He felt nervous. He didn't want to appear weak and he hated feeling vulnerable. After a few moments, she went back to stroking his arm.

"I suppose you'll tell your friends about this," Klaus ventured.

"No, I already told Damon about the hybrids. The rest isn't their business."

Klaus smiled against her hair.

"Besides," she added, "that's how this trust thing works. I don't go blabbing your secrets and you don't go blabbing mine." He couldn't deny that logic. He couldn't think of any secrets that he knew about her, but he was hoping to learn one day soon.

"Although, it would be nice if you let those hybrids go. Teach them some manners and give them back their free will?"

"We'll see," Klaus retorted though he knew the real answer to that. Caroline pinched his arm. He snatched it away for a second before returning it around her side with a light chuckle.

Klaus placed a kissed on top of her head and listened as she fell asleep in his arms.

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><p><strong>Alright so we're halfway through this story. Let me know what you think!<strong> **Also I MAY or MAY NOT be working on another Klaroline story.** **;)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello glorious readers! Here is another chapter for you all. Another short one but I hope you enjoy it!  
>A nice fluffy one :)<strong>

**Also stayed tuned at the end for a special teaser from chapter 9 :)  
><strong>

**Cheers!**

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><p>Caroline awoke the next morning still snuggled up in Klaus's arms. She inhaled, enjoying the natural, woodsy scent mixed with his cologne. Even though he was unconscious, Klaus held onto her tightly. Caroline had secretly enjoyed the protective vibe that he had been throwing at her last night. It made her giddy to think that that need to protect remained even while he was fast asleep.<p>

Slowly she threw back the sheet that was covering her and did her best to slip from his grasp without waking him. He looked so peaceful for a change. His face was soft, there was no mask there. After last night's confession about not wanting to be alone, Caroline could only imagine what other insecurities Klaus might have. She understood the lonely part all to well. Quietly, she dropped a kiss to his nose.

"Darling if anyone could make staring a loud activity, it's you," Klaus spoke, his eyes still closed.

"You're awake," Caroline replied.

"Have been. Not exactly a light sleeper," Klaus smirked finally opening his eyes. "You look better."

"I feel better. I was about to go take all of these bandages off."

"Allow me," Klaus replied. He quickly scooped Caroline into his arms and carried her into the bathroom. She squeaked in surprise.

"I can walk you know," she protested.

"I am well aware," Klaus replied placing her gently down on top of the sink counter where she was sitting.

Slowly, he began unwrapping the bloody bandages from around her arms. The wounds were completely healed. He tossed the bandages into the trash and double-checked her face and neck; making sure that all of the tiny cuts there were healed as well.

"Let me guess. Vervain grenade?"

"It seems to be the favorite of those who don't like to get too close. Good thing they miss a lot," she replied. Her hands went for the bottom of her t-shirt and she began to slide it over her head.

Klaus's eyebrows shot up. He didn't mind that Caroline was about to strip down, on the contrary, but he didn't think she would do it with so little pretense. Bless these modern American girls and their forwardness.

But as Caroline removed her top and placed it on the counter next to her, standing there in just a sports bra and shorts and that's when he saw it: two bandages on her left side. One was on her back and the other on her chest just above her breast. Klaus clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowed.

"Think you could get the one in the back for me?" Caroline hopped down and turned around so she faced the mirror.

"What is this?" Klaus growled.

"I got a little bit staked," Caroline replied, concentrating hard on the bandage on her chest.

"You got a 'little bit' staked?" Klaus could feel the rage from the night before returning. "Someone tried to stake you?"

"Tried and failed. Luckily they didn't have very good aim."

"Who was it?"

"Nobody you know."

"I'll kill them," he snarled.

"That's why I'm not going to tell you," Caroline said meeting his eyes in the mirror. "You know, killing people doesn't solve everything. It just makes other people more mad at you."

Klaus couldn't deny the logic. Although killing someone who pissed him off always did make him feel slightly better. "Fine. I won't kill anyone. For now." He removed her bandages and tossed them in the bin.

"Good," Caroline smiled. She spun around and gave him a quick peck on the lips before leaving the bathroom.

"So what is on your world saving agenda for today," Klaus asked following her out of the bathroom.

"Ugh studying. I have to catch up after getting nothing done the past three days."

Klaus quirked an eyebrow. "Studying? You're still going to school?"

"Well no, not going per say. Just trying to keep up. I have to graduate in spring. I'm sure everything will be back to normal by then."

"You really think that Mystic Falls is going to solve all it's prejudices sometime this decade? That is a little naïve."

"It's not naïve, it's hopeful," she protested, "besides I'm willing to bet that everything will be back to normal within two weeks."

"Oh really? What makes you so confident?"

Caroline considered for a moment. Maybe she had opened her mouth when she shouldn't have. Klaus was turning over a new leaf, but could he be fully trusted? Still it was only fair. He did reveal a pretty big secret to her last night. Besides how could Klaus possibly screw this up for them?

"The town's water supply is no longer spiked with vervain." Caroline stated.

"So all of Mystic Falls will be susceptible to compulsion again," Klaus's eyes darted back and forth, "you and Damon are planning to compel everyone to forget everything."

The way he figured it out so quickly made Caroline uneasy.

"Yeah," she said," then we can go back to living normal lives. With our supernatural statuses as a secret again." She stood there, twisting nervously.

"Yes that would be perfect," Klaus mumbled, mostly to himself. He seemed lost in some distant thought. "That's a lot of people to compel though. Are you sure you're up to it?"

Caroline nodded her head determinedly. "If it means saving everyone and getting things back to normal then yes."

Klaus snapped out of his musings and gave her a sly smile. He walked forward and kissed her on the forehead. "Then I wish you all the luck in the world love."

She examined him for a moment. "You're acting weird."

"Well you do realize that once the town is back to normal, I will go back to being your number one threat. I'll be free to take my doppelganger and make my way out of Mystic Falls."

It was a partial lie, but Caroline didn't know that. Klaus was hoping she wouldn't call his bluff. He was mostly trying to distract her from his true thoughts. Which were on Stefan and his revenge.

"Why do you even care about what happens in Mystic Falls? Why not just take Elena now and save yourself the trouble?"

"Because," Klaus replied, "there are a few extenuating circumstances keeping me here at the moment."

"Like what?" Caroline raised one eyebrow. Klaus looked at her seriously for a moment. He trusted the girl in front of him, to a point, but he wasn't ready to throw all his cards on the table. His past experiences wouldn't let him be that stupid.

"Nothing you need to worry about now," he said lightly rubbing circles on her arm with his thumbs, "Let's just enjoy this we have right now. Not having to worry about being enemies. Just being—"

"Friends?" Caroline prodded.

"That depends, do friends do this?" He dipped his head down and kissed the edge of her jaw sensuously. His hands slid from her arms down to the small of her back. "Or this…." Now his mouth was on her throat. She could feel the scrap of his fangs against her skin. Shots of electricity coursed through her veins. Caroline threw her head back as his mouth explored her neck and his hands began to play near the band of her pajama shorts.

"Wait wait wait," Caroline said taking a deep breath and trying to push him away. He was strong but relenting. "No we can't now, I need to study."

Klaus's lazy, lust filled eyes gave her a challenging look. "You're sure about that?" He jibed.

"Yes," Caroline groaned out pushing him farther away. She hated always being responsible. Klaus conceded with a frustrated growl and stepped back to perch himself on her bed. He watched as she ditched her shorts and search around in her dresser drawers for something to wear.

"You know, removing your clothes doesn't really help your cause."

"Shut up."

Caroline dressed quickly; today it was jeans, a loose tank top and a cardigan. Klaus watched her appreciatively as she added some makeup and brushed out her curls.

"Well, shall I help you study? I did live through most of what high schools teach now."

"You want to help me study?" Caroline asked incredulously.

"Well no," Klaus admitted, "but I do want to spend time with you during this cease-fire we have. So studying is what I shall do for now."

Caroline smirked at him. "Ok."

"But I do expect a reward for my dutifulness."

"Really?" Caroline sauntered toward him, "and what kind of reward do you expect?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and he lowered his face close to hers.

He whispered huskily, "I think you know." Caroline felt his lips brush hers as he answered. "Until then—schoolwork."

It was her turn to groan in frustration. Klaus separated himself from her and she walked over to a small desk that was in the room and gather a couple books, placing them in her school bag. She slung the bag over her shoulder.

"Well I can't study here, too many distractions, and I can't go to the library without being attacked, so I've been hanging out in the woods. It's kind of gross and sweaty but at least it's quite." The two of them left her room and headed downstairs.

Klaus considered for a moment, relieving her of her backpack and slinging it over his own shoulder. "I have a better idea," he said once they were outside, "one that is less sweaty and gross. Follow me."

And just like that Klaus ran off. Caroline quickly dashed after him. He was super fast, but Caroline was a great runner. She was able to keep up with him without much problem. She noticed they were running towards the outskirts of the city. Soon they stopped in front of a small cabin.

"What is this?" Caroline asked.

"It's mine. It's where I've been staying." Klaus replied.

"You stole someone's house?" Caroline asked skeptically.

Klaus smirked, "Stole is a bit strong. Borrowed indefinitely is more like it."

Caroline rolled her eyes. Why was she not surprised? She just hoped he hadn't killed anyone in the process. Klaus opened the door for her and let her inside. She took in the modesty of the home.

"It's nice," she said.

"It suits my needs for now," he commented. Klaus sat her bag on the leather easy chair as Caroline walked around the room, checking everything out.

"It's not your typical bad guy lair."

"Well, I'm not your typical bad guy," Klaus's lips twisted in amusement.

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><p><strong> Let me know what you think!<strong>

**Sometimes I worry that I move things along to fast relationship wise. But I guess my justification of that is A) It's only supposed to be a short story, not a WHOLE novel and B) I always imagine that since vampire emotions are heightened, things like this would develop at a much quicker pace anyways.**

**Also here's a quick teaser from Chapter 9 that hopefully keeps you all guessing!**

_"Hello," he replied, the obvious glee he had felt at messing with Caroline slipping into his normally stoic voice._

_"My, my don't we sound happy today," the voice on the other end greeted him._

_"Stefan." Klaus snarled into the phone. Damn it! He hadn't bothered to check the caller ID before answering._

_Caroline's head snapped up from her work at the mention of Stefan's name. Her eyes followed Klaus as he shot up from his seat and began pacing around the room in frustration._

_"Klaus I have someone here who wants to speak with you." Klaus held his breath waiting for the other voice. Had Stefan awaken one of his other family members? Elijah? Finn?_

_"Hello Nik."_


	9. Chapter 9

**Double chapter today! Nine and ten are posted. I really like what happens in the chapters so much. I hope you do too! Let me know what you think.**

**Cheers!**

* * *

><p>It didn't take Caroline to long to get comfortable on Klaus's bed and begin her homework. She had notebooks, textbooks and paper spread out around her. Every so often she would glance surreptitiously over at Klaus. He was so obviously bored. Poor hybrid.<p>

A couple times he picked up her books and would flip through them. Then he started looking over her shoulder while she wrote notes. Which turned to him brushing kisses down the sides of her neck and shoulders. Caroline swatted him away though and he backed off in a huff. She had to laugh. He could be such a child sometimes; the way he would pout when he didn't get his way.

"I meant it when I said I was going to study," Caroline chided, " you don't have to stay here and watch me."

"I like watching you," Klaus replied from his place on the easy chair, "I like sitting here and thinking about all of the things I'm going to do to you when you are finished." A wicked grin spread across his face.

"Stop it."

"Would you like me to tell you about them?"

"No!" Caroline screeched. She shook her head at the hybrid's words, smiling to herself. "You're awful."

"Yes, but you love it." His low English cadence sent chills through her. Even from across the room he had a seductive effect on her.

He didn't have to be touching her. It was in his predatory walk, the way his shoulders moved under his shirt with each step. The way he spoke and how every word sounded like a dark melody. It was also in that damned sexy smirk he always had painted across his face. He could be saying something completely evil and it was still incredibly sexy. Caroline found herself reading the same paragraph of her book over and over again, trying to shift her thoughts from Klaus. It was proving to be a pretty impossible task.

Klaus was still watching her, smiling. He knew that her thoughts were less on her school work now and more so on…other things. His phone began to chime from his pocket. Klaus retrieved it and held it up to his ear.

"Hello," he replied, the obvious glee he had felt at messing with Caroline slipping into his normally stoic voice.

"My, my don't we sound happy today," the voice on the other end greeted him.

"Stefan." Klaus snarled into the phone. Damn it! He hadn't bothered to check the caller ID before answering.

Caroline's head snapped up from her work at the mention of Stefan's name. Her eyes followed Klaus as he shot up from his seat and began pacing slowly around the room in frustration.

"Klaus I have someone here who wants to speak with you." Klaus held his breath waiting for the other voice. Had Stefan awakened one of his other family members? Elijah? Finn?

"Hello Nik," it was Rebecca.

"Rebecca, darling, what are you doing?"

"Nik I can't forgive you for what you've done. You killed our mother and lied to me about it for years," her voice was calm but shaky, "I followed you and ran with you for hundreds of years because I believed your lies."

"Rebecca, you don't understand—"

"No you don't understand. Mikael may have turned me into a monster, but you took away my life and everything I cared about. You're the one who is going to pay." Her tone was final. Determined.

"Rebecca do you really think that you will be able to kill me?" Klaus was mocking her. He knew he was stronger than his sister. She would never be able to overtake him.

"Death isn't the only form of revenge dear brother. You always forget that. I'm sure that with our heads together, Stefan and I can come up with something much more lasting."

With that she hung up on him. Klaus slammed the phone down on the table next to him. He stood there for a moment glaring into space, his jaw tight and his eyebrows pinched together in anger.

Caroline still watched him from her perch on the bed, confused about why Stefan was calling him. Was it the first time Klaus had talked to him since he had disappeared? Klaus didn't sound all that surprised by hearing from him. Then again, he always claimed that not much surprised him after being alive for so long. She thought back to her conversation with Stefan the other day. He had asked her to watch him. To let him know if he made any moves. Clearly, Stefan had something on him. And Rebecca? Threatening to kill him? Yep, Caroline was more confused than ever.

Suddenly Klaus grabbed a vase off of the table and hurled into the fireplace with a fierce growl. Caroline flinched. He threw himself back in the chair and dragged his hands across his face. Caroline slipped down from her spot on the bed and tentatively walked towards him.

"Klaus, what's going on?" She asked softly. She wasn't sure if he would trust her enough yet to tell her and she didn't want to upset him anymore. He sat forward and leaned his elbows onto his knees, not meeting her eye. She tried again. "Klaus is this the first time you've heard from Stefan?"

"No," he replied still not making eye contact, "we've been in contact for quite some time. And now it looks like he has my dear sister on his side."

Caroline walked forward and knelt down in front of him. She tried to dip her head low enough so that he would look at her.

"What do you mean 'his side'? Klaus," she cupped his face with her hands and forced his eyes on her, "Talk to me. You can tell me what's going on."

Klaus looked into her eyes, felt the warmth of her hands on his cheeks. Already he could feel his frustration seeping out of him. His impulsive desire to go and rip Stefan to shreds was disappearing bit by bit thanks to Caroline's touch.

"He stole my family. He took them and blackmailed me into staying in Mystic Falls and keeping an eye on all of you. Making sure that no one, including myself, harmed anyone."

Caroline blinked at him. "So that's the reason you've been here. Not just Elena. You're protecting us all."

"Don't get sentimental on me Caroline," Klaus snapped, "I'm not here by choice. Only biding my time until my hybrids find the stupid Salvatore brother and I can wrap my hands around his throat and tear him apart."

Caroline's hands dropped from his face and she frowned at him. "Why do you have to be like that?"

"Like what darling. You know me. Cold blooded killer."

She shook her head, "That's not what I meant. 'Caroline don't get sentimental'. I wasn't getting sentimental. I always knew there had to be some other selfish reason keeping you in Mystic Falls. Clearly you would never help us by choice."

Caroline looked away from him and sat back on her heels. She finally admitted to herself that she had secretly hoped that maybe she was the reason he had stayed all along. Maybe he had been attracted to her long before everything had started to happen with them. But no that was a silly, far-fetched teenage fantasy.

She looked back up at Klaus, who was still obviously seething. His eyes were transfixed on the broken pieces of glass in the fireplace. Her mouth twisted in thought as she watched him. He wasn't a knight in shining armor. He wasn't always the most moral or selfless person. He would never change into someone like Matt or Tyler who would always do the right thing. She could see that now. And yet she found that she was still falling for him anyway.

Klaus wasn't a man of words; he was a man of action. So she acted. Slowly, she rose up on her knees again and took his face into her hands. He turned his gaze back on her, as she looked deep into his eyes. Then she kissed him. With all the love she was beginning to feel inside of her. To let him know that maybe he wasn't what she imagined, but he was better than that. For some reason, he had captured her heart and she would never be able to get it back.

Klaus surrendered some of his anger, sliding his arms around her and squeezing her tightly. Her lips delivered slow, deep kisses that he could feel all over his body. She separated her mouth from his and stood out of his embrace. He watched her as she removed her clothes, slowly peeling back the layers of her sweater, shirt, and jeans until she stood there only in her underwear. She stepped forward and straddled his lap, sliding her arms around his neck and looking once again into his eyes.

"I thought you had to study," Klaus teased. She gave him a slow shake of her head, a seductive half grin on her lips.

"Didn't you mention something about the things you wanted to do to me?"

Klaus felt himself harden even more at her words and he gave a low, appreciative growl. Quicker than a flash, Klaus picked Caroline up; her legs wrapped around his waist, and had her pinned against the opposite wall. She gasped in surprise. His mouth was on her throat, sucking and teasing her creamy skin. Klaus's fingers dug into her backside as he held her tightly between the wall and his body. Caroline grasped at his shoulders, his fierce kisses burning her with desire.

Again with supernatural speed Klaus dropped her legs and pinned her arms above her head. She stood there, still pressed between him and the wall, the entire length of his strong body against her. He was still wearing clothes which was rather disappointing. Caroline tried to slip one of her hands from his grasp to go for his shirt but he held her tightly.

"Ah ah ah love," he tsked, "this is about what_ I_ want to do to _you_."

His face was close to hers. His hands slid down her body slowly. He slid down too, keeping his face close to skin. She could fell his breath trailing down her torso. As he made his way down, his fingers made quick work of the rest of her bra and underwear. He then slowly worked his way back up making eye contact with her the entire time. It was wicked and erotic and Caroline burned for his mouth to be back on her again. He stopped again at eye level. She unconsciously squirmed, leaning toward him, trying to gain satisfaction. But he was holding her back, staying just out of reach.

"Having some control issues sweetheart?" Klaus teased. Her eyes had turned vampire black and the veins on her cheeks protruded. Klaus couldn't help but think she looked exquisite like this.

"Shall I get to work?" He quipped and with that Caroline succumbed completely to his touch.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Review please!<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

Caroline and Klaus lay in his large bed, limbs tangled together, facing one another. Night had fallen. Caroline didn't get any more schoolwork done that day. In fact, most of her papers and books were shoved carelessly to the floor. The moonlight streamed in on the pair of lovers as they gazed upon each other silently. Klaus was gently combing his fingertips through Caroline's blonde waves. A contented smile danced around lips. So this is what it felt like to be in love.

Yes, love. He would admit it to himself, even if he could say it out loud yet. How did he get here? He remembered telling Elijah once that love was a vampire's greatest weakness; that as vampires they had to leave those types of emotions behind. But how wrong he had been. Throughout his existence he had always craved power, sought it out, tried for centuries to break the curse his mother had placed upon him so that he would be the most powerful being to walk the Earth. But nothing made him feel what he felt when Caroline looked at him, touched him, said his name.

What she gave him didn't require curses or magic or manipulation. He couldn't believe that he had found someone who seemed to care about him without being afraid of him. Someone to be loyal out of love instead of fear. Klaus wished that Mikael were alive just to see this. To see that there was someone who cared about him; that now he had Caroline by his side he _would_ be great.

And did she love him? He hoped so. Damn it he hoped so very much. If she didn't now, he would spend the rest of his existence proving to her that he was worthy of her love.

He watched her tongue dart out and wet her lips. "What are you thinking?" She smiled, tracing lazy swirls on his torso with her fingertips.

"About you." He replied simply. Caroline blushed slightly.

"Me? What about me?"

"How amazing you are," he said cupping her face delicately with his chin. And then he made a decision. He would give it up: his hybrids, his super-race, the doppelganger, everything. Now that Mikael was dead, he didn't need to worry. He could stay clear of Stefan and Rebecca for the rest of eternity. He just wanted Caroline by his side.

"Caroline I—" just then Caroline's phone rang from her bag on the floor. He frowned at the interruption. "Go ahead and get that, I'll be right back."

Klaus slid off the bed and walked into the bathroom. Caroline smiled at the view of his backside as he strode away. She smiled to herself wondering what he had been about to say. The phone rang again. The smile faded and she rolled her eyes as she reached for her bag and the stupid little interrupter. She checked the caller ID: unavailable. This could only be one person.

"Hello?" She whispered.

"Thank God you answered, I don't have much time to talk."

"Stefan, what's going on," Caroline tried to keep her voice down as she kept her eyes on the bathroom door, "you never mentioned you had stolen Klaus's family!"

"How did you find out about that?"

Caroline dodged his question. "Don't you think that would have been an important piece of information for us to know?"

As she spoke Caroline wrapped the sheet around herself and rushed out the front door into the yard.

"Look we'll discuss that later. The important thing is Rebecca is here with me. She said she wants to help me kill Klaus only she doesn't really want to kill him, she keeps talking about punishment. That's what she keeps saying. She wants to 'take it all away'."

"Ok well duh, because Rebecca is a psychopath." Caroline was still whisper-shouting in the yard.

"Caroline I think she might go after Elena. The biggest shot to Klaus would be ruining his chance to build his hybrid army. I need you to figure out a plan to keep her safe."

"Well how am I supposed to do that without telling Elena that I've been talking to you? It's not like I can just be all 'hey Elena we need to hide you but I can't tell you why and I can't tell you who told me we should.'"

"Look," Stefan replied, "tell her you want a girls trip or something. Or tell Damon what you know but _only _as a last resort. He'll understand why Elena can't know we been talking. Just get her out of Mystic Falls until I can figure out what Rebecca's move is going to be."

"Ok, Stefan," Caroline relented.

"Thanks Caroline, I'll call you as soon as I can."

"Stefan, about Klaus's family—"

"Gotta go," he cut her off, "call you soon." With that he hung up. Caroline looked at the screen as it went black. She let out a heavy sigh. Things were just getting way more and more complicated. She felt like now that she knew the truth, about Stefan stealing Klaus's family, that she should do something about it. After seeing the pain in his eyes, she couldn't just let Klaus lose his family like that. But she wasn't sure how to make it right without risking Stefan in the process. She didn't want her friend hurt either. God, what was she supposed to do?

Caroline crept back inside. Klaus still seemed to be in the bathroom. She padded over and collected her clothes from where they had been discarded earlier. It was already well past dinnertime, she should probably get back to the boarding house soon. It was a wonder that Elena or someone hadn't noticed her absence and called her by now. She slipped quickly slipped on her underwear, jeans, and tank top. Her cardigan seemed to be missing still. She spun around to look for it and there was Klaus standing behind her.

She jumped slightly, startled. He had snuck up on her. "Klaus I didn't hear you—" But she stopped, noticing his rigid stance and the way his jaw ticked. His mouth was pursed in irritation.

"Enjoy your little chat with Stefan?" He asked her slowly.

"Klaus I—"

"Tell me _love,_ how long have you been in contact with our little friend?"

"Since he left. But—"

"So you've known all along of his betrayal."

"Klaus I didn—"

"You lied to me!" Klaus yelled at her, his cool anger finally bursting through. Caroline took a step back in fear at the volume of his voice.

"I swear I didn't—"

But he wasn't listening to her. "Tell me where he is Caroline!" He bellowed.

"I don't know."

"Tell me!"

"I don't know!" Caroline screamed back.

Klaus grabbed her by the arms and jerked her forward. "You lied to me!" He screamed in her face. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes. But she refused to cry. He squeezed his fingers into her arm and she let out a small cry.

"If you don't tell me where he is I will—" But he didn't get a chance to finish the sentence.

Caroline's fangs dropped and she hissed at him. Her dead dropped back as she prepared to strike out and defend herself. Then she felt herself being flung backwards across the room. She crashed against the opposite wall, splinters flying and décor breaking as she slid down to the floor. Quickly, she recovered and rolled into a crouching position.

She saw Klaus on the opposite side of the room. He was standing there menacingly, his yellow eyes flashing and his werewolf fangs poised to bite. Caroline's chest heaved. He blocked her escape from the door. Would he really kill her before she could explain to him? She couldn't believe that the man who had held her so gently only moments ago, whispering sweet nothings to her while they basked in the afterglow of their love making, could be so intent on causing her pain now.

"Go," he growled at her. Caroline stayed where she was, crouched and ready for his attack. "GO!" He roared at her one more time.

Like a flash, Caroline made her escape.

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><p><strong>Poor Caroline and poor Klaus :( What's gonna happen?<strong>

**Let me know what you guys think of the chapter and all of the revelations from the past two. Lots of feelings and lots of secrets!**


	11. Chapter 11

Caroline's feet pounded through the forest. The tears streamed down her eyes as she ran. She didn't know if Klaus was following her or would eventually. He had looked ready to kill her. She had messed up badly. Even though she hadn't meant to, she had betrayed the tentative trust they had built. Damn it! She should have mentioned it to him the moment he had told her about Stefan.

She reached the Salvatore house and stopped outside the door, not wanting to go inside yet. She knew the "I-told-you-so's" she would hear once everyone saw her and she just wasn't ready to face it yet. Caroline stood in the yard and sobbed in the moonlight. A howl sounded in the distance. For some reason, she knew it was Klaus. He had changed into his wolf form.

Why? Why did nothing work out in her favor? Matt dumped her for being a vampire, Tyler was killed and now Klaus would hate her forever. It was her own damn fault. What the hell did she do to deserve all this?

"Fuck!" Caroline yelled out.

"Caroline are you alright?"

Caroline whipped around to see who had sneaked up on her.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" She quickly whipped the tears away from her cheeks, embarrassed by her uncharacteristic swearing.

"I came to talk to you. Are you sure you're ok?" Liz Forbes took a few cautious steps towards her daughter, reaching her hand out slightly.

"Yeah mom I'm fine. What's going on?"

The sheriff looked at her skeptically, but then nodded in the direction of the house. "Come on. I need to talk to all of you."

Caroline sniffled. Her eyes pinched together as she examined her mother. She really wasn't in the mood to be hated on anymore for tonight. But the seriousness of her mother's face, the fact that she was even here, counted for something. "Fine. Let's go inside."

She headed for the door with her mother following behind her.

Once inside Liz asked Caroline to have everyone meet downstairs so they could all talk at once. She still didn't say anything about why she had suddenly decided to show up. Caroline went upstairs and grabbed Damon and Elena. If she didn't know any better, she could have sworn that she had almost caught them in a semi-compromising position. Bonnie and Jeremy walked into the front door as they came back downstairs. Alaric was already standing in the living room with Liz.

"Good, you're all here," the sheriff began.

"So Liz, what brings you behind enemy lines?" Damon questioned her suspiciously.

"Well Damon, I don't know if you're aware of this. But the town's water supply is now vervain free," Liz replied.

"Yes. Well aware. It makes showering so much nicer now." His mouth twisted up into a sarcastic smirk. "If that's all you have to say—"

"Aren't you the least bit curious as to why?" She had him there. Damon stayed silent and let her continue. "Carol Lockwood and I arranged it so that the vervain was cut off."

"Why would you do that?" Elena asked.

"Because, we want this war to end."

"Vervain or not. It's not like were going to be able to change everyone's minds about supernaturals," Jeremy weighed in.

"Actually," Alaric said, "I've discussed this with Caroline and Damon. They can compel everyone to forget the existence and everyone's identity as a supernatural. Things can go back to the way they were before."

Liz nodded. "That's what Carol and I thought. I know it's a long shot, but we've got to try something. This town is going to tear itself apart."

"You're damn right it's a long shot," Damon said stepping forward, "even if the two of us are going to compel everyone in Mystic Falls how are we going to do it? We can't exactly go into people's houses while they sleep."

Liz replied, "You get them altogether in one place."

"Oh yeah that will be easy."

"It will be," she continued, "the council wants to stage a public execution of one of you. The whole town will be there to see it."

"A public execution," Damon scoffed, "isn't that a little medieval?"

"Still if the town is all together how can we get them to stay put long enough to be compelled?" Elena asked.

"Don't you guys have some sort of a 'super compulsion' or something?" Liz suggested, "Carol said Tyler mentioned it once."

"No. No such thing as super compulsion," Damon replied.

Bonnie stepped forward, "If the town is altogether I can cast a spell that will immobilize them and keep them in one place long enough for Damon and Caroline to compel everyone."

"Bonnie can you handle that?" Elena asked. Jeremy also looked concerned next to her.

"It'll take some serious power, but I'm sure I can handle it."

"So who's going to be the lucky martyr?" Damon quipped.

Caroline, who had been watching the plan unfold, stepped forward. "Me, it has to be me. We can't risk anyone else."

"Caroline would also seem to be the easiest to capture. The council could take her just like they did with Tyler Lockwood," Alaric added.

"That's what I was thinking," Liz said, "In fact that's already the council's plan. I'm supposed to make up with you and invite you back into the house. Then the council will come tomorrow morning and retrieve you. They'll hold you until tomorrow night when they're hoping to stage the execution." Liz looked at her daughter nervously while she spoke.

"This is dangerous," Elena said, "there are a lot of things that could go wrong."

"Yeah," Caroline said, "But it's the only chance we've got."

Over the next hour the group formed an exact plan. Caroline would go back to her mom's house tonight, seeming to have made up. Liz would call the council and let them know Caroline was there. From there she would go along with the council's plan, which was to have Liz inject Caroline with enough vervain so that she would be weak and the council could lock her up. Meanwhile, the rest of them would be preparing to make it to the execution. They would stay back long enough for the entire town to arrive. Bonnie would cast her spell before Caroline actually gets staked. Then Damon would move in and start compelling people. Caroline would join him once Elena frees her from the execution set up. Alaric and Jeremy would be protecting Bonnie while she holds the spell.

It was a complicated plan and there was a lot that could go wrong. The slightest hitch and Caroline or someone else could wind up dead. But they all agreed that they had to take the chance. Once everything was finalized and details were taken care of as much as they could be, everyone decided to turn in for the night. They agreed that the best idea would be to have everyone in one place for the next 24 hours, so Bonnie, Jeremy, and Alaric were all staying at the boarding house that night.

Caroline walked with her mother to the front door. She had packed a small bag of things to take with her. It was a bit awkward between them. After all, last Caroline knew, her mother hated her and they had just spent the last hour planning her death.

"Caroline, I want you to know that I didn't mean any of it," Liz said turning around to face her daughter. "When I uninvited you, I didn't mean it. I had to make the council believe that I was truly on their side. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to influence the vervain supply and we wouldn't have this chance."

Caroline gave her mother a little shrug. "It's ok mom I understand."

Suddenly Liz walked forward and gave her a big hug. Caroline's eyes began to well as she wrapped her arms around her mother and squeezed back. Liz pulled back and brushed the hair away from Caroline's face.

"You and I have never had the best relationship. And since you became a vampire it's only gotten more confusing. But you are still my baby Caroline. I love you and I never want anything to happen to you," Liz's eyes also began to tear up, "Seeing the look on Carol Lockwood's face after Tyler—I could never stand to lose you."

The sheriff hugged her again and Caroline cried into her mother's neck. After everything that had been going on, it felt good to have her mother comfort her. Especially thinking of what might happen tomorrow. Caroline might very well die if something goes wrong. She knew her mother was letting her know she loved her, in case anything did happen.

"Don't worry mom," Caroline sniffled, "It's going to be ok. We've been through worse than this." She offered her mom a reassuring smile.

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><p><strong>Hello dear readers! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Also I hope I did a good enough job explaining the plan so that everyone could understand it. Like the characters said, it's super complicated. Everything has to be just so. Let me know what you thought of the chapter! Are you guys excited to almost be at the end? Just 3 more chapters after this!<strong>

**Also, unrelated to this story: Do you guys prefer reading longer stories or one shots? As I said before, I have another story in the works, about half done, but its shaping up to be a bit longer than this one. I try to write one shots but they always end up developing into something bigger :) So yeah, definitely let me know what you thinks!**

**As always, thanks for the reviews and support**

**Cheers!**


	12. Chapter 12

Klaus awoke the next morning near the hybrid's encampment. After his fight with Caroline last night, he decided that a good rage-filled bender was what he needed. He transformed into his wolf form and went hunting, ripping apart anything and everything in his path.

He was on the ground, naked, covered in blood and dirt. He eased himself off the ground and headed back to his cabin. He could still taste the blood and hear the screams from the kills he made last night. But they did not ease his anger. In fact his rage had given way to another emotion, one he had never experienced before in his centuries long existence. Heartache.

Caroline had betrayed him. She had lied. He didn't believe for a second that she didn't know exactly where Stefan was and what he had planned. Why had he been so stupid as to let her get that close? After all, she had admitted right up front that she was supposed to be discovering everything he was hiding. Now Damon and the others would know all about his weaknesses. No, not weaknesses; just unforeseen occurrences in his plans. Occurrences that would be remedied soon enough. Now that he wouldn't have Caroline as a distraction, he could get back to business.

But damn it! The thought of her name made his wicked heart clench in pain. His only option would be to do what all those heartbroken lovers did over the centuries in every book and every film and every song. He would run. He would take his doppelganger and get as far away from Mystic Falls as possible. He would build his hybrid army, kill Stefan, and resolve things with Rebecca. Maybe he wouldn't kill her just yet. Perhaps a couple hundred years back in her coffin would simmer her anger towards him.

Once Klaus reached his cabin, he went into the bathroom to clean himself off. While he dressed, he thought of ways he could capture Elena without it being too much of a hassle. _And without seeing Caroline, _he thought. But that was the difficult part. Caroline would be able to report back to Stefan that he had taken Elena. Klaus wasn't sure what Stefan's retaliatory move would be. He didn't want to have to kill Caroline in order to keep her silent.

He groaned inwardly. Yes even now he didn't want to hurt her. In the old days, she would have been expendable. He wouldn't have hesitated to snap her neck if she pissed him off or got in his way. It was why he shoved her away from him last night and screamed at her to leave. He didn't trust himself and the impulsiveness that had ruled him for hundreds of years. Even though she had hurt and betrayed him, he didn't want her to fall victim to his temper.

There was a knock at the cabin door. Klaus moved toward it wondering who it might be. Surely it wasn't Caroline? He couldn't decide if he hoped it was or not. _She's a bloody idiot for showing up here, _he thought as he reached for the knob and whipped the door open. Would he be able to spare her a second time? It wasn't Caroline though. It was Annie. Klaus glared at the hybrid.

"What do you want," he snarled at her.

"You said to come back to you with any news from the Sheriff's house," she replied timidly.

Klaus turned his back on her and walked back into the cabin, leaving the door wide open. "You are no longer required to do that."

"Oh," Annie took a few steps through the threshold, glancing around at her master's temporary home. "Well the blonde vampire, Carol or whatever, she went back there last night. Stayed the night there."

"It's Caroline," Klaus corrected. "I suppose her and mummy dearest made up then." Klaus had a thought, if Caroline was at home, that meant that he could slip in and kidnap Elena. Her absence would provide him a small window of time in which Stefan would have no idea what he was planning.

"I don't know if making up is what I'd call it," Annie quipped bringing Klaus out of his thoughts.

"What do you mean?"

"Well this morning I saw—"

"Klaus!" Annie was cut off by another hybrid entering the room, a boy, probably about fifteen years old.

"Aren't I popular today?" Klaus smirked sarcastically. These hybrids didn't realize that he was severely pissed off and they were treading on dangerous ground. Clearly he had been too lenient with them.

"I have good news," the boy told him.

"It had better be very good news," Klaus stared toward him with wide, serious eyes.

"I've found Stefan Salvatore's location. Got a weird tip off last night, so I went to check it out. He's only about 10 miles out of the city."

Klaus's smile became real. Finally things were falling into place for him. "Well then, seems I suddenly have someone I need to be."

* * *

><p>Caroline woke up. She felt groggy and could barely lift her head. She was sitting upright and for some reason she couldn't move her arms or her legs. She was back in the vampire dungeon. Or wait had she never left? Was her dad still there waiting to try and burn the vampire nature out of her? She blinked a couple times and shook her head to clear it.<p>

No, wait, that was in the past. She had escaped that. Tyler and her mom and rescued her. Her mom! That's right. This was part of the plan. She was staring to get her bearings back. She remembered the plan to end the war in Mystic Falls. She remembered her mom injecting her with vervain and being dragged out of her house this morning by some of the council members. The events of the morning and the night before were slowly coming back to her.

Last night, after talking with her mother in the driveway, she had gone back inside to pack up a few things. If anyone had been watching outside her mother's house, it would look more convincing for it to appear as if she were moving back in permanently. As Caroline was collecting her things, Damon came into the room.

"You sure you're going to be able to handle this," he asked her, "you're usually not the one putting yourself on the line."

"Then maybe it's time I did," Caroline replied sternly, not looking up from things.

"I'd rather you not mention this plan to your evil hybrid boyfriend if you don't mind."

"That's fine Damon," she replied turning from him back to her dresser drawers. Damon grabbed her by the arm and jerked her around to face him. She hissed at him, her fangs dropping.

"I'm serious Caroline. I don't want him fucking things up for us."

"You don't have to worrying about him 'fucking' things up. I haven't told him anything because we are no longer speaking. So you can take you god damn hands off of me." Caroline jerked her arm away from his grasp. The two vampires glared at each other for a moment, before Caroline broke the stare and continued to pack.

"What? Trouble in paradise already?"

"Don't pretend like you care Damon. You don't fool me for a second. Just because you're in love with Elena doesn't mean you give a damn about the rest of us," she turned to face him, staring at him coldly, "I know that if it ever came down to it, we would all be expendable if it meant protecting Elena."

"My, my _blondie. _Don't hold back, tell me how you really feel," Damon cocked his head to one side.

Deep down, Caroline knew it wasn't really Damon she was angry at. She didn't even know why she was saying these things. It wasn't like it wasn't true. But it made it sound like she wouldn't be willing to sacrifice herself to save any of her friends. She would put her own life on the line in a heartbeat. Hell, that's what she would be doing in less than 24 hours.

"Just forget it Damon, I didn't mean it," Caroline sighed. She zipped up her blue duffle bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"Well damn, I was enjoying this little tiff we were having," Damon smirked at her. Just like that the argument was forgotten. "It is true though," he continued, "I'd choose Elena over anyone else without a second thought."

"I know," Caroline replied, "And that's how it should be."

"And," Damon added nonchalantly, "I'm sure Klaus would do the same for you. I guess if he's into you there must be some microscopic part of him that isn't completely evil."

Caroline snorted lightly at his response. "Thanks for the attempt Damon. But girl talk doesn't really suit you."

"Look all I'm saying is I know what it's like to be an impulsive, murderous, asshole." Caroline gave him a weak smile. It was true. Damon would always be an impulsive, murderous, asshole and nothing would ever change that. But his feelings for Elena would rein him in. Hadn't she been the one pointing out the similarities between Klaus and Damon herself?

"Well it doesn't really matter anymore, "Caroline said aloud, "because he thinks I lied to him and betrayed him. He's never going to trust me again."

Damon looked at her, real concern slipping into his expression. "What do you mean?"

It dawned on her then that she had almost completely forgotten her conversation with Stefan. Well not so much the actual conversation, but the details of it. Time was running out and if things went wrong for her…she decided she needed to let Damon know what was going on.

"Look, Damon, I have something to tell you and please don't be angry with me."

"No promises," he said crossing his arms over his chest and staring her down suspiciously.

Caroline began to spill the beans about her contact with Stefan. She told him how long she had been talking to him, what he had said, and she definitely told him the latest news about Rebecca. Damon nodded and listened quietly throughout the story. Stefan had been right about Damon agreeing that they shouldn't tell Elena.

"She's finally let it go and started to be happy again. I wouldn't want her going back to square one if she found out that Stefan was still checking up on her," Damon said.

Caroline quirked an eyebrow. "You sure there aren't _other_ reasons you wouldn't want her hung up on Stefan again?"

"Cute." Damon grimaced.

Caroline laughed lightly and shook her head. "Well I better get going," she said finally making her way out of the bedroom.

"Hey Caroline," Damon called to her from down the hall. She turned back and looked at him questioningly. "Sometimes vampires live so long trusting only themselves, that they forget how to trust other people. It can be broken by the slightest misstep. Just something to think about." He nodded at her and the slipped towards the back of the house.

Caroline considered his words as she left the house that night. Another idea had come to her on her way back home. She would need to take care of a couple of things before the council came for her in the morning.

* * *

><p><strong>So I really like that little bit between Caroline and Damon. It was nice for me to write. I've been watching a few episodes from the end of Season 2 for inspiration every now and then and man oh man has Damon come a looooong way! I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that he was forced to step up once Stefan left (which I touched on in an earlier chapter). In case you can't tell, I am a Delena shipper, and I like that Damon has this ruthless quality about him when it comes to Elena. In my mind Klaus would be the same way about Caroline, so I thought it was important that she know that. So who better to drop the hint than Damon eh?<strong>

**Anyways, enough of my ramble! Let me know what you think, I always love to hear :) You guys are phenomenal!**

**Cheers!**

**p.s. double update again. haha I love my double updates and I know you guys do too!  
><strong>


	13. Chapter 13

It was past mid-day when Klaus reached the boarding house. Caroline's car wasn't outside which meant she wasn't there. He wasn't too late to strike. It took him a while to round up all of his hybrids. And he would need them all to make this an easier operation. Slowly he stalked towards the house, the hybrids behind him in a "V" formation.

Bonnie, the witch, and the doppelganger's brother were out in the front lawn. He didn't know if they were coming or going but in a moment it wouldn't matter. With a flick of his wrist, two of the hybrids ran forward and attacked. In less than a second they were each on one of them. Bonnie yelled but was soon silenced as she slumped to the ground, unconscious. Jeremy struggled to free himself from the hybrid's grasp.

"I swear to God Klaus if you hurt her—"

"Save it human. Where is your sister?" Klaus asked him calmly. "Call her out." Jeremy just glared at him. "Or I could just have Annie over there—"

"Elena!" Jeremy yelled. Apparently he didn't need much convincing once his girlfriend was threatened.

"Jeremy!" Elena called running out of the house with Damon on her heels, "Klaus! Oh my God!" Klaus made another gesture and two more hybrids ran for Damon. It was less easy to subdue him but they managed it.

"Elena run!" Damon shouted.

"Now, that would be silly. Don't you think?" Klaus taunted.

"Klaus you don't know what you are doing," Elena spoke slowly.

"Oh darling, I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm taking my doppelganger and finally getting the hell out of this pathetic little town," Klaus replied stepping towards her.

"Klaus, if you don't let us all go Caroline is going to die." He stopped in his tracks at her words. His head tilted slightly to one side.

"What makes you think I care?"

"Because I know you do. It's part of the plan. Getting the council and everyone in one place. They are staging an execution for her in the middle of town. But if Bonnie doesn't get there in time to hold them off, Caroline's going to get staked for real."

Klaus didn't understand. His eyes squinted at Elena. Clearly she was just trying to distract him. Caroline couldn't have been in any danger. He would know about it.

"It's true," Annie piped up from her place on the ground where she held Bonnie down, "I tried to tell you this morning before Jake interrupted."

Klaus's eyes flick towards the girl. He crooked a finger towards her. "Come here," he said sweetly. Amy smiled and stood, walking towards her master. Once she was standing in front of him he placed his hands on the sides of her head. "Tell me darling, exactly what you saw this morning."

Amy shivered slightly. "The council came this morning and carried the vampire from her house. There were five of them. They had her hands and feet bound with thick metal cuffs but she was unconscious."

"Anything else?"

"No," her voice was small when she replied. Then suddenly Klaus twisted her head in his hands. There was a sickening snap and rip as the girl's head separated from her body. Klaus dropped it unceremoniously.

Elena felt like she was going to vomit at the gruesome sight. She recovered quickly though, still pleading with Klaus. "You have to let us get to Caroline."

Klaus glared at Elena. This was his chance. Take her and go. Take her and go. He kept chanting to himself. His jaw clenched and his teeth ground together. Caroline didn't matter. She had deceived him. He could not care about her. He _would_ not care about. He had to switch it off. Take the doppelganger. Take what is yours. Caroline's face flashed through his mind. He saw her smile. The way she had been smiling at him when they had been in bed together, before the fight. The way her blue eyes shined and her lips curved and how incredibly perfect she was.

"Please, Klaus—" but Elena was cut off. Klaus sped from the scene and headed in the direction of the town square, his hybrids following close behind.

Caroline awoke again. This time she was outside. She could feel that her hands and feet were still bound. Her focus came back to her quicker this time. She realized that her arms were wrapped behind her around a large stake. Geez, when did Mystic Falls become so Salem Witch Trials-y? She shook her head at herself. Clearly this was not the time to be joking. But really how did she get here? She looked down at the crowd. All of her friends and neighbors were there. People she had known her entire life. They were all looking at her with fear and contempt.

Her eyes scanned the crowd for Bonnie. Where were they? Suddenly she felt another prick and a burning through her veins. Someone had shot her again with vervain. Then she felt her ring being slid off her finger. Caroline cried out as the setting sun began to burn her. Tears from the pain slid down her face. She felt weak. She tried to fight through the haze and stay alert. Hopefully Damon would be able to handle things until she regained a bit of her strength. Shouldn't they have been here by now?

Caroline tilted her head forward. Someone was standing in front of her, a black mask over his face. Damon was right, this was super medieval. Then her heavy eyes spotted the stake in the man's hand. He bought the tip delicately to her chest, lining up his shot. Caroline gulped. Her eyes fixed on the stake. This was going to be it. For some reason, she found herself thinking of Klaus. She thought of all the ways he smiled: sarcastically, wickedly, and ever so often with genuine happiness. She remembered the feel of his electric touch on her skin. The way his stubble would tickle her cheeks and chin whenever he kissed her. She thought of his passion and anger and all the good and bad things that made up the man she loved.

Yes she loved him. She had realized that last night. She thought about him and tried to be brave as the executioner poised to strike her chest. He placed one hand on her shoulder and drew the other holding the stake back behind him. A single tear slid down her cheek as she realized things had gone terribly, terribly wrong. For some reason they had all failed. The last thing she heard was a loud roar as she felt the wood burst into her chest.

* * *

><p><strong>Umm...what's going to happen?<strong>

**Stay tuned for the conclusion of Fire and Ice! Coming soon!** **:)**


	14. Chapter 14

Klaus had run as quickly as he could to the town square. He saw the crowd gathered and Caroline burning up in the sun, tied to some sort of grotesque stage. He had gotten there right in time to see the executioner plunge a stake deep into her chest.

His lungs vibrated with the sound that ripped from his throat, expressing everything he felt at that moment. It was like someone was ripping his inisdes out. Caroline's head dropped in a final nod of death. Once again he had failed. Failed to save and protect someone he cared about. She was now gone forever and nothing would bring her back. The angry tears brimmed in his eyes.

The entire crowd turned their attention on him. He heard his hybrids follow up behind him. His pupils dilated as he used his compulsion to hold the entire crowd still. They would pay. This was their fault. They would pay for what they had done to Caroline. His sweet, brave girl who had always defended them and protected them. This was what she got for her kindness. To his right he heard car doors slam and footsteps running toward him.

He turned his head just in time to see Damon run toward him. Klaus dodged the vampire's tackle. His fangs dropped and he hissed. Damon ran for him again. This time Klaus caught him by the throat and slammed him into the ground.

"You've gotten in my way one too many times vampire," he growled. Damon snarled back at him and rolled off the ground. His eyes flicked to something behind them.

Klaus twisted around and saw Bonnie and Elena running for the stage. For Caroline. He started to move toward the girls when he felt a sting on his arm. Someone was shooting at him. It was Alaric, with Jeremy right beside him. Alaric was armed. Klaus redirected his path towards the humans. The crowd remained silent and still throughout everything.

Klaus was on them in the blink of an eye. He yanked the gun from Alaric's hand and tossed it across the square. His hand shot out and he grabbed the two men by the throat. His jaw clenched as his squeezed their necks harder. He could feel their pulses beating rapidly beneath the skin.

"Klaus! No!" He froze, about to make his kill. He knew that voice. Suddenly he dropped Alaric and Jeremy. They hit the ground hard and coughed as air returned to their lungs.

He spun around and saw Caroline running toward him. She was alive. She was bleeding from her chest and was badly burned but she was alive. He stared at her in disbelief and she stumbled through the still crowd toward him. _Caroline! _

Before he could take a step towards her, he felt something sharp and hot slide through his body. He looked down to see a large piece of wood protruding through his stomach.

"Damon!" He heard Caroline scream as he dropped to his knees and groaned in pain. She flashed forward and was beside him as the pain brought him down. This wouldn't kill him of course, but it bloody well hurt.

"Oh my God, Klaus. Are you ok?" Caroline dropped down beside him.

"Yes. Big bag hybrid remember, nothing can hurt me," still he winced in pain as he pulled the splintered two-by-four out of his torso. He glanced over her, refusing to meet her eyes. "How are you not dead? I saw it happen."

Caroline shook her head. "Matt was behind the mask. We set the whole thing up as another failsafe. Since I had the close call before, I could show him just where to stake me so it would look like he hit my heart but wouldn't really. Just in case something happened and Bonnie couldn't stop him. Good thing too."

Klaus still couldn't believe he was looking at her alive again. Even though it turns out she had never really been dead. He reached up to push her hair away from her face, but stopped himself.

"What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be going after Stefan and getting your family back? He'll be gone by now."

Klaus looked up at her questioningly. "How do you know about that?"

All of a sudden she looked contrite. He noticed she began pulling at her fingers, which Klaus observed she always did when she was nervous. "Well who do you think tipped off his location to your hybrid minion?"

He couldn't believe it. "Why would you risk it?"

"Well it wasn't a huge risk. I had word sent to him as well. I gave you a head start though. Stefan would have no choice but to leave all that cargo behind if he wanted to get out alive."

"But still—"

Caroline placed her hand over his mouth and began talking a mile a minute "Because I love you and I was sorry for not telling you right away and I may have died and I just wanted you to have your family back. Even if they are all as evil as you. I didn't want you to be alone." She took a deep breath at the end of her speech and exhaled dramatically. The pair of them just sat there, looking anywhere but at one another. After a few moments she remembered she had her hand over his mouth. She removed it, smiling nervously.

"Caroline are you helping or shall I do all the work as usual," Damon called to her. She rolled her eyes to herself and looked at Klaus. He had a weird half-stunned look on his face.

"You have them compelled to be still right? Can they stay that way for now?" Klaus nodded once. Caroline looked at him anxiously, but then slowly stood up off the ground. She stumbled a bit; clearly still weak from all of the vervain, sunlight, and stake exposure.

Klaus watched her get up and walked towards the crowd. One by one Damon and Caroline compelled the entire town of Mystic Falls. After each person was compelled they all left the square in a ghost like trance.

Truthfully he felt like he was in a trance himself. He vaguely noticed that his hybrids had run off. Bonnie and Elena tended to Jeremy and Alaric, who kept throwing dirty looks in his direction. But none of it seemed real.

The hybrid lifted himself off the ground, the hole in his stomach already completely healed. He watched Caroline. All he could think about were those four words she had said to him. So quickly and easily they had fallen in her mouth. _Because I love you._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Two Weeks Later<em>**

"See you and everyone later at The Grill?"

"Yeah definitely," Caroline replied with a smile, "Just gotta run home and shower first. I reek from cheerleading practice."

Matt chuckled and gave her a friendly tap on the shoulder. He said goodbye and walked over to his truck, throwing his football gear in the bed, and heading for home.

"So Matt and you are pretty friendly again," Bonnie nudged her friend playfully. The girls gathered up their pom-poms and made their way towards Caroline's car.

"Yeah well staking really has a way of bringing people closer together," Caroline quipped. Bonnie gave her one of _those_ looks. "Seriously. Just friends. No guys for Caroline Forbes for a _long_ time."

"I take it still no word from Klaus," Bonnie said.

Caroline sighed and tossed her pom-poms and duffle bag into her back seat. "Nope, haven't talked to him since I accidentally told him I loved him."

"You know I couldn't believe it when Elena told me about you guys after everything that had happened."

"Yeah, well it doesn't matter. He's gone and even if he does come back it will probably be only for Elena's blood to make more hybrids. Then he'll disappear again." She frowned as she readjusted her ponytail.

"Sorry," Bonnie offered, "I guess you really liked him."

"Yeah I did," Caroline gave her a half smile. _I still do_, she added to herself. She appreciated that both Elena and Bonnie had been so supportive of her recent heartbreak. Even if it was because of Klaus. A car beeped its horn behind them and the girls turned to see who it was.

"There's Jeremy, gotta go," Bonnie said giving her a little squeeze," see ya later tonight."

"See ya." Caroline said wistfully, slightly jealous as she watched Jeremy kiss Bonnie hello and wrap his arm around her. She got in her own car and backed out of the space, heading for home.

Over the past two weeks, Caroline had been trying not to feel to sorry for herself. Thankfully her and Damon's compulsion had worked and the town was back to normal. It seemed that Mystic Falls had completely forgotten the existence of the vampires. Everyone except her mom, Matt, and Carol Lockwood. But they now trusted that if any actual evil vampires came around, the town would be in good hands.

Caroline was happy to be back in school. She was really glad that she had kept up with her assignments. She couldn't help but feel a little smug at the fact that Elena and Bonnie seemed to be struggling a bit. Even though she was back to cheerleading and planning bake sales and dances, she couldn't quite forget her time as an outcast. Mystic Falls definitely had an ugly side that she hoped she would never have to see again.

Still in spite of having everything back to normal in her life, she couldn't help but miss Klaus. It would have been nice to hear something from him. _Anything_. Even if it were to tell her that he still thought she was a horrible, lying, awful vampire at least she would know where she stood. What had even happened? After going through that day over and over in her head she had thought he had come there to rescue her. So clearly he had forgiven her right? But then he just disappeared to God knew where. The only other thought Caroline could come up with was that she freaked him out of something when she dropped the L word on him.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to hold back the tears for the umpteenth time this week. She would not cry. Everything was over now and in the past. She would move on and get over Klaus and not think about him ever again.

Which would have worked out perfectly if only he hadn't been standing there when she pulled into her driveway.

She put the car in park and turned off the ignition. What was he doing here? As he sauntered towards her car, in his tight brown pants and long sleeve tee, she silently wished she didn't look so messy from cheerleading practice. God, she must smell and look disgusting.

Klaus lifted up the handle and opened the door for her, sweeping his hand out grandly. "Good afternoon Caroline."

Caroline crept slowly out of her seat and stood there facing him. A million things were running through her mind but she couldn't seem to make her mouth work.

"How was your day?" He asked, the signature smirk on his lips.

"How was my day? How was my day! How about how was my last two weeks?" She snapped.

"Pardon?"

"Two weeks! That's how long you've been gone and I haven't heard a word. The least you could have done was send me some sort of rejection text or something for me to know what the hell has been going on!"

"I don't understand," Klaus replied, the smile fading from his lips.

"You know what, it doesn't even matter," she said slamming the car door and brushing past him, "Go! Go and get your doppelganger blood and make more stupid hybrids and just go off on your rampage for world domination or whatever it is you want to do!"

Klaus caught her arm and spun her around. "That isn't why I came back here."

'Then why _are_ you here?" Caroline glared at him.

Klaus chuckled lightly, "Do you really have to ask?" Then he dipped his head down and kissed her.

Caroline felt her knees go weak and her heart explode. Klaus wrapped his arms around her body and squeezed her firmly against him. As always his kiss was fierce and possessive, but Caroline found that every time she kissed him it was like a brand new experience.

"Wait," she said pushing away from him so that she could look into his eyes. He still held onto her tightly. "But I told you I—"

"I know." He replied with a slow nod"

"And then you left." Caroline looked at him sadly. He released his hold on her and cupped her face reverently.

"Love, I've been alive for hundreds of years but never once have I been..in a..relationship," he replied slow and serious.

Suddenly it dawned on her. Her shoulders relaxed and all the stress of the past couple of weeks drained out of her. She felt like the world's biggest idiot. She understood exactly what Klaus was trying to say. He was trying to apologize.

"Yeah, it's usually standard practice for a boyfriend to tell his girlfriend where he is going," Caroline chided, a smile spreading across his face.

Klaus shook his head playfully, "_Boyfriend_? Well I guess I'll have to get used to having to answer to someone from now on won't I?"

Caroline nodded her head between his hands, "Yes you will."

"I suppose I will also have to try not to jump to conclusions when my _girlfriend _tries to explain to me that she did not mean to lie, she just made a mistake."

"I am sorry for that Klaus."

"Don't worry love, all is forgiven. If you can forgive me for being an occasional what-do-your friends call me …psychopath?"

Caroline smiled and stood up on her tiptoes to give him another kiss. He captured her mouth once again with his, cradling her face between his palms. The two of them stood there in each other's arms for quite some time. The glowing sun painting them orange and pink as the day gave way to the dark blue night sky.

Eventually, Caroline pulled away. She gazed up into to Klaus's eyes. He bit his lip playfully and smiled at her, brushing the fallen strands of hair out of her face.

"So what now?" Caroline asked nervously.

"Now I have to get my family back," Klaus replied seriously.

"I guess that means you're not staying," said Caroline. Klaus nodded. "What about the hybrids?"

"That project is on hold for now. So you can tell your friends to relax for the time being," he told her brushing her cheek with his thumb.

Caroline gave him a half smile. "Will you kill Stefan whenever you find him?"

"I'll _try_ very hard not to," he offered with a wicked smile. Caroline rolled her eyes at him. "Caroline I know that it's important for you to continue your life here in Mystic Falls and I want you to have that. But also know that I want you with me for the rest of eternity." He leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers, "You are mine now and I will always come for you."

Her heart soared at his words. She wrapped her hands around his waist and held onto him. This wasn't going to be an easy relationship, but she was all in, and it was good to know that he was too. Maybe they couldn't be together right now, but Klaus was right. They were immortal after all. They had the rest of eternity.


	15. Epilogue

Klaus sped down the highway in his recently acquired 1969 Rally Sport Camaro. Well not really that recent since he had been on the road for almost two months now and was hundreds of miles away from Mystic Falls. Caroline had frowned at him when he showed her the car and told her how he came to own it, but of course he was quickly forgiven. Caroline. Honestly two months away from her seemed like a lifetime. He found he missed her terribly.

He had spent that entire weekend with Caroline before leaving Mystic Falls to go hunt down Rebecca and Stefan. He hung out with her at The Grill as she re-acclimated him to her group of friends. Of course that went over about as well as he could imagine, but Caroline didn't seem to be bothered, so he didn't care. On Friday he went to watch her cheer at the high school football game. On Saturday he took her out for a proper romantic dinner date outside of Mystic Falls.

They spent the nights together in bed making love and getting lost in one another. This was still all so new to him. Even though he was adamant that he wouldn't let Caroline change him into some teenage dream date, he just wanted to do what made her happy. Since their time together would be short and far between, he was willing to make a few unsettling compromises.

Before he had left her, he had given her the strand of beads and rope he had always worn around his neck and a promise that he would return to her soon. And of course, Caroline, his brave girl, did her best not to cry as she hugged him goodbye.

Klaus had a pretty good idea where he was going, based on Caroline's last tip. She had told him that she couldn't always promise she would help him and put Stefan in the line of danger. He didn't like it but he understood. He also had his remaining hybrids out spying for any sign of the rouge Salvatore or his sister. It seemed they had a newfound sense of loyalty after watching him rip their friend's head off outside the boarding house.

He heard his phone buzz where it lay in the passenger seat next to him. He scooped it up and pressed the answer button.

"Hello."

"Nik, how are you?"

"Rebecca, haven't heard from you in a while. Still angry with me?"

"Dear brother what a stupid question," she replied mockingly, "you know what's interesting?"

"Please, enlighten me," he snapped back at her.  
>"Caroline just can't seem to master that pesky back -flip at cheerleading practice. It's fun to watch her become so frustrated with herself." Klaus's face dropped. Worry flooding through his veins. Rebecca being Mystic Falls was not good and somehow she had figured out about their relationship, which was even worse. "You know you should really thank her for me the next time you talk to her."<p>

"What are you talking about?"

"Her little tipoff to Stefan gave me the perfect exit strategy. Let's just say we've gone our separate ways. All he wanted was to kill you, but I've got something much better planned."

"Revenge really isn't your thing sister."

"Well we shall see won't we? Now that I've ditched the ripper and have our family perhaps I'll just start waking them up."

"Rebecca you—"

"Oh and also thank the prom queen for giving me another fabulous idea—instead of taking out my frustrations with you on your doppelganger, I'll be turning my attentions to someone else."

Klaus's jaw clenched tightly. "If you dare touch Caroline I will end you without a second thought."

"Guess I'll be seeing you soon, brother."

* * *

><p><strong>The End. For Now :)<strong>

**Do you guys hate me for that ending or love it? As I was writing I was really getting into this particular story, so about halfway through I knew this was how it was going to end. So to answer your questions YES there will be a sequel (as long as you all want it of course) NO I have not begun working on it...quite yet. I have been working on another Klaroline story which will make an appearance over the next few weeks. I really want to have it 75% completed before I start posting it. The plot is a bit complicated and I don't want to start posting chapters in case I have to go back and change things.**

**But THANKS AGAIN for reading. All of your reviews and comments are so encouraging. I will definitely keep writing! Let me know what you think of the story overall, what your favorite bits were, anything! I love hearing from you :)**

**Until the next time...Cheers!**

**-Cicadaa**


	16. Extra SceneAN

**Hey guys! Hope it's not to annoying, but I just wanted to let everyone know, in case you don't have me added to your favorites, I posted an extra scene from this story. It's a Delena scene, taking place after they find out about Caroline and Klaus. Just you can find it in search or by clicking on my profile.**

**Wanted to make sure everyone who might want to read it gets to! :)**


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